ART of ASKING QUESTIONS

ART of ASKING QUESTIONS

We have to many times in a day in our professional and personal lives ask questions and also answer questions. How should I frame my question so that I get proper reply? And also, what care should I take while answering a question? This post is an attempt to answer these questions. But, first of all: Why ask questions? Questions help us in many ways:

1.    They help us to learn new things

2.    They help us to build new relationship

3.    They help us in coaching & mentoring

4.    They help us to avoid misunderstanding

5.    They help us to defuse a difficult situation

6.    They help us to persuade people

And, how many types of questions are there

 Though there are some seven types of questions, but mainly we use three types of question the most.

1.    Close ended questions

2.    Choice Questions

3.    Open ended questions

 

CLOSE ENDED QUESTIONS

Answer to Closed Probe Question is usually YES     OR     NO or a short factual answer.

Examples

·         Will you come for a movie with me? Answer is "Yes" or "No"

·         Are you going to Delhi? Again the answer is "Yes" or "No"

·         "Are you thirsty?"  The answer is "Yes" or "No";

·         "Where do you work?"  The answer is generally the name of your office.

Close ended questions are formed by using auxiliary verbs or model auxiliaries.

(Is, are, am, was, were, can could, have, has, had, do, does, did, may, might, shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, must, ought,)

Closed questions are good for testing your or the other person's understanding:

"So, if I finish this work, will I get a day off?"

Concluding a discussion or making a decision:

 "Now that we all agree on this, should we implement this project?

CHOICE QUESTIONS 
We give a choice of two or more alternatives

·         Would you like play ‘football’ or ‘cricket’?

·         Do you like to watch TV or read a book?

Choice questions are also formed by using auxiliary verbs or model auxiliaries (Is, are, am, was, were, can could, have, has, had, do, does, did, may, might, shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, must, ought,) but they provide a choice.

Choice Questions are:

·         good for giving the other person a choice between two or more alternatives,

·         Carrying on the discussion further

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS

 Allow the other person express his/her opinion or thoughts. Open ended question are formed using ‘wh’ (who, what, why, when, where, how)  words like tell me or, describe can also be used for framing open Ended Questions.

·         What is your opinion on the new accounting procedure?

·         How do you think this program will benefit you?

·         Describe what you saw in the road accident

·         What happened at the meeting?

·         Why did he react that way?

·         How was the party?

·         Tell me what happened next.

·         Describe the circumstances in more detail.

Open questions are good for:

Developing an open conversation:                                                                                   "What did you do during the vacation?"

Finding out more detail:                                                                                             "What else do we need to do to succeed?"

Finding out the other person's opinion:                                                                        "What do you think about those changes?"

STEPS FOR PROPER RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS

·         Wait for answer

·         Listen to the answer.

·         Repeat / rephrase question if not answered.

·         Ask only one more question for clarity.

·         Acknowledge & thank.

Of course, the speaker always knows what type of response she/he wants. Hence, we must always take care to frame our question accordingly.

Hence, to sum up:

1.  Close ended questions are good for confirmation,

2.  Open ended questions are good for additional details/information,

3.  Choice questions are good for decision.

By:

Sarwan Singh

http://bit.ly/sarwansingh