“We live in the world our questions create.”

David Cooperrider

Do you find the conversations throughout your workday often fall flat?

Maybe the right types of questions aren’t being asked. The way you ask a question usually determines the kind of response you get.

A simple place to start is looking at your default form of questioning:

• Are you asking closed questions? 
• Or, are you asking open questions?

Closed questions usually elicit a one-word answer. Full stop. Conversation dead. Now, this may be handy if your busy and need a quick response.

• “Have you finished the report?”
• “Yes.”

• “How are you today?”
• “Good.”

• “Did you have a good experience?”
• “No.”

But we humans generally thrive on connection. Shouldn’t we be fostering positive relationships in the workplace?

Open questions can help.

An open question cannot be answered with a static “yes” or “no” response.

We usually start our open questions with: what, where, when, why, how, or who. Be sure to frame them in a way that doesn’t prompt a one-word response. Let’s tinker with the three questions above:

• “What are some of the steps you have achieved producing the report?”
  
• “What great things have happened since we last caught up?”
  
• “How would you describe your experience?”

Open questions require the other person to think and elaborate in their response. They promote more engagement from both parties and stimulate meaningful conversations. 

Why don’t we try to ask more open questions in our daily encounters?

If you find yourself asking a closed question, you can still follow up with an open question.

• “Did you find value in this blog post?”
• “Thanks. Can you please tell me in what ways you found value?”

Reflection

• I will make an effort to ask more open questions. They are essential for positive relationships.