Asking Questions

The Idea of the Week

First, let’s understand why we ask questions. 

Questions have many purposes. Two common functions are to assess knowledge (evaluative) and to cause thinking (rhetorical).

1. Evaluative Questioning is used to evaluate or assess the strength or depth of one’s knowledge and identify gaps in one’s knowledge.
2. Rhetorical Questioning is used to cause thinking or emotion for effect. Rhetorical questions don’t require an answer, rather they are used to get the audience to really think about what you’re saying. They are also used to affirm or deny a point, to subtly gain agreement from the audience, or to create an effect. 

We also ask questions to:

1. acquire knowledge
2. demonstrate interest
3. eliminate confusion
4. make a request
5. guide a conversation in a direction we want it to go
6. enable a person to discover answers for themselves 
7. gain empathy by understanding another person’s perspective
8. influence someone’s opinion or point of view
9. begin a relationship
10. strengthen a relationship
11. stimulate creativity and idea generation
12. gain a person’s attention
13. solve a problem
14. reach an agreement
15. keep our audience engaged and interested

How we ask questions can affect the answers we receive. So depending on the way we ask our question, we may or may not receive an answer that satisfies what we were seeking; we may gain clarity and understanding, or we may become more confused. 

So, what are the Questioning Techniques [article] we can use to receive the response we’re looking for? In this 12-minute read, you’ll learn the different questioning techniques and what each technique is best used for.  

Practice of the Week

Now that we know the purposes and techniques of asking questions, how do we ask quality questions?

When we ask questions, we want to make sure our questions:

• have a specific intention, and 
• are clear and easy for our intended recipient to understand. 

In a 4-minute read, Verywell Mind shares the steps of building small talk into a conversation by asking follow-up questions. The article notes that small talk can be used to make you and the other person comfortable. Small talk becomes a conversation when you start to become genuinely interested in the other person and what they have to say. 

One technique of questioning that can be difficult to accomplish is making requests, or asking someone to do something for you. The Art of Asking: Or, How to Ask and Get What You Want [article] is a skill, and in this 19-minute read, you’ll learn 21 steps (broken down into 4 parts) that will help you articulate requests and receive a response from your audience. 

The Thought of the Week

Wishing you a peaceful week!