Personal Development Answers

In Why Ask Questions-Part 1, I’ll cover the first  three reasons:

1. Gaining Information

2. Clarifying and Verifying Information, and

3. Checking for Understanding and Level of Interest.

You can also listen to the AUDIO, 4.55 minutes.

At times, I’ll be referring to negotiation as illustration. 

You tend to be negotiating with someone most of your day, whether you are negotiating with yourself or with others.

The word “negotiation” should not be compartmentalized into the conflict resolution category.

Let’s get right into why asking questions is so important, and starting with an obvious reason

1.    Gaining Information

Mostly, gaining information is a good thing.

It’s not just about gaining added information, but also about filling in gaps in existing information.

However, there are times when gaining new information may not be such a positive occurrence.

If the stakes are really high, any added information that is negative could be devastating and completely block any chance of a resolution in, for example, a negotiation,

Continuing with the reference to negotiation, any added information needs to be put forward with agreement points along the way.

This reduces the impact that the new information will have should it be negative.

Questions such as “What if?” need to be a constant part of this process.

2.    Clarifying or Verifying Information

 

Clarifying questions are usually aimed at answering Wx5 +H, ie who, what, when, where, why, and how?

 

If you don’t ask such questions, you could be left at a disadvantage.

 

For example:

 

·         Who is actually responsible for this?

·         What are the options?

·         When do you estimate that the job will be completed?

·         Where is the stock to be stored?

·         Why has this information not been distributed to everyone?

·         How has this been handled in the past?

 

Verifying takes on a different form of questioning from the above:

 

·         You will make sure that everyone knows the deadline, won’t you?

·         Everyone does know what aspect of the job they are responsible for, don’t they?

·         Does everyone know where the stock will be stored?

 

3.    Checking for Understanding and Level of Interest

 

Simply because people are part of a project, does not meant that they are really interested in it and know what to do.

 

You don’t know until you ask, and then more questions may be needed to probe further.

 

For example:

 

·         I know this is not your area of expertise, but tell me what you find interesting in being part of the project?  [Make sure you don’t ask a restrictive or closed-ended question]

 

Also check that that the person/people you are dealing with do actually know about the subject/product you are enquiring about.

 

Ask a question that has a specialist knowledge aspect within it and have them respond to it.

 

For Example:

 

You were checking out a new tax agent/accountant, you could ask:

 

·         “I’d like to sell a house I own - either my home or an investment property.  From a capital gains perspective, which one will be better for me?” 

The answer to this question would be, to sell your home, as there’s no capital gain on this transaction, but there is on an investment property (in Australia).

 

You get what I mean, don’t you?

 

More types of questions in the next posting.

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