Questioning Skills in Communication

This PowerPoint presentation explores the art of questioning in communication. It emphasizes the importance of asking the right questions to facilitate deeper understanding, foster meaningful conversations, and build stronger relationships.
This presentation aims to equip the audience with effective questioning skills that can enhance their communication abilities, whether in professional settings or personal relationships. It’s a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their conversations and connections through the power of questioning. Enjoy the journey through the art of questioning!

1. Questioning Skills in Communication The Art of Questioning & Probing to get desired results Presented by Dr.M.Sasidharan

2. How to Ask Questions to Get The Results You Want: The Monk's Method In delivering communication skills training workshops to various groups over the past fifteen years, I came to depend on the following funny story to illustrate how the way people ask a question can determine the answers they get. I labeled this questioning technique, "The Monk's Method." Two monks were praying, walking and talking as they do all day long. The junior monk said to the senior monk. "I'm surprised you're allowed to smoke while walking around and praying here in the monastery my dear brother. When I joined the monastery I asked our Head Monk about smoking and his answer was a resounding no. How come you are able to smoke with no problem? The senior monk smiled and said, "Am I right to assume, my dear brother, that you asked the Head Monk whether it was alright for you to smoke while praying? "Yes," said the junior monk. "I asked him whether it was alright for me to smoke while praying, and he looked at me disapprovingly and said, "Of course not. I'm surprised you would even ask." "Ah!," exclaimed the senior monk. "You didn't know how to ask my dear brother. It all depends on how you put it. When I joined the monastery, I too asked the Head Monk about smoking, but in a slightly different manner. I asked him: "Dear Master, Is it alright for me to pray while smoking?" And he said, "But of course my son. You can pray anytime." In asking questions, as well as in all other aspects of communication, it's not what you say that counts, but how you say it.

3. The Impact of Questions Appreciate how learning to ask positive question can improve team effectiveness. Recognize that asking questions is a communications skill, just like speaking clearly or listening effectively. Develop the ability to use inflection, phrasing, and timing to ask positive questions. How To Ask Positive Questions Employees who can properly ask questions will deal better with all colleagues throughout the entire organization.

4. 1. Questions to Elicit Feelings “How do you feel about all this?” “How is this affecting you?”

5. 2. Action Questions “So, what will you do now?” “What do you need to do next?”

6. 3. Option Questions “What alternative ways do you think are possible?” “What are the three things you can do?”

7. 4. Motivating Questions “How will you benefit from coming out of this?” “How would you feel if this gets achieved?”

8. 5. Directed or Leading Questions “Are you angry now?” “What makes you angry?” “Tell me more about the issue or problem or person …” “I trust you agree with these facts..”

9. 6. Negative Interrogation “Why don’t you..?” “What keeps you from..? “What is stopping you..?”  “Don’t you agree with these facts?”

10. 7. Neutral Questions “What do you feel?” “What do you think?”

11. 8. Open & Closed Questions Open questions “What do you think about this issue?” “What is your plan for today?” Closed Questions “Do you agree or disagree with this issue?” “Are you coming to the office today?”

12. 9. Orientation-Seeking Questions Orientation seeking questions request information and opinions about group goals. “What is on the agenda for today?”

13. 10. Relationship-Clarifying Questions  Relationship clarifying questions ask about interpersonal and role relationships among members.  The questioner may ask how members feel toward each other and toward the group, and what members want from each other.  “Did anyone feel left out of our discussion last time?”

14.  11. Procedure-Seeking Questions Procedure seeking questions ask such things as how to coordinate activity of members, what techniques to use for organizing interaction, in what sequence to take up items for consideration, how to make a decision, how to outline a problem-solving procedure, or simply what to do next “How should we organize this discussion?”

15. 12. Fact-Seeking Questions Fact seeking questions are requests for specific statements of fact The questioner may ask for an observation of something that occurred, for clarification of a statement, for factual statements that were reported elsewhere, or for what some group members said earlier “What does anybody know about the extent of crime in our city?”

16. 13. Opinion-Seeking Questions Opinion seeking questions ask for others’ opinions, interpretations, or judgments about the meaning of facts “How much do you think it cost to make the movie Titantic ?”

17. 14. Solution-Seeking Questions  Solution seeking questions ask for a decision about what to do to solve a problem Such a question often reemphasizes the type of goal or final output of a special committee “What should we do next?” “Which person is most qualified to lead our student government?”

18. Questioning Tips The purpose is to draw out information and to gain clarity It is important that your mentee doesn’t feel interrogated or that they are being judged. If they feel that they have to justify themselves, they may block communication which could prevent them considering alternatives. Rephrase questions to avoid beginning with a ‘why’ Ask one question at a time Wait for the answer Ask questions that prompt deep thinking Seek to promote insight Ask about, and listen for feelings as well as facts Respond to non-verbal communication with feedback Use non-verbal communication to keep questions from sounding interrogative Move from the general to specific Challenge assumptions and generalizations

19. Sample Questions Career discussion: What is most important to you in your life and work? What career options have you considered? Which are the skills you are best at and enjoy using most? What are your career goals? What potential constraints must you take into account when planning your career? Cushions – softening a confronting question: Do you mind if I ask… I’m wondering… Would you like to tell me… Skills development discussion: What changes are you likely to need to deal with in the near future? What results would you like to achieve, that you are not achieving now? What new skills do you want to develop? What knowledge, information or qualifications do you need to acquire in the near future? Probing – getting the person to talk more: Can you say a little more about… Would you expand on that idea… Perhaps you’d like to tell me…

20. The Art of Questioning & Probing Questions to elicit feelings “How do you feel about all this?”, “How is this affecting you?” Action questions “So, what will you do now?” , “What do you need to do next?” Option questions “What alternative ways do you think are possible?”, “What are the three things you can do?” Motivating questions “How will you benefit from coming out of this?”, “How would you feel if this gets achieved?” Directed (or leading) “Are you angry now?”, “What makes you angry?” , “Tell me more about the issue/problem/person …” Neutral “What do you feel?” , “ What do you think?” Negative Interrogation “What keeps you from..? , “What is stopping you..?”  Open questions Closed Questions

21. The Art Of Asking Question: To gain information - Who, what, where, when, why, how, how much? To stimulate conversation – Have you heard? Do you see? Can you believe? What do you think?

22. The Art Of Asking Question: To gain the other’s views - What do you think about? Can you tell me how you feel about? To check agreement? - Do you think we are on the right track? Can you support this decision? Are we in agreement? Do you have any objection?

23. The Art Of Asking Question: To build rapport and trust - How can I help you? What can I do to meet your objectives? What would you like to accomplish? Tell me about your goals/dreams/objective? To verify information - Did I understand what you mean? Can I summarize this as………………?

24. The Two Major Type Of Questions: Typical closed questions are: What time is it? Did you finish the project? Are you going to the meeting? Can you work overtime tonight? When did you first discover the problem?s

25. The Two Major Type Of Questions: Typical open question are: How do you feel about the meeting? What could we do to make the project better? How can we meet our objectives? What’s your opinion on the new marketing plan? How important it you?

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