The usefulness of asking questions
And what makes them effective
So what?
Asking why is not just for 5-year old kids. This questioning, done correctly, is an effective way for you to:
- Be engaged with your life and those around you;
- Facilitate learning and development;
- Clarify your thoughts and understanding; and
- Be motivated and develop interest of the topic that you are questioning.
This post will discuss the types of questioning you can do. We will publish a post with regards to how to ask these questions.
Closed
This type is the simpler form of questioning. It prompts simple responses such as “yes”, “no” or short answers. These questions start with phrases like “Are you”, “Did you”, “What is”, “Who is” and “When”. Benefits of closed questions include:
- Easy to answer;
- Short response time;
- Minimal ambiguity;
- Easily compare;
- More likely to have a response to personal or sensitive questions; and
- Jogs memory.
Open
Open questions (i.e. open-ended questions) are those that get you to probe and think deeper. They prompt responses that are more than one or two words. These questions start with phrases such as “What did you think”, “How did you” and “Why”. Benefits of open questions include:
- Detailed information;
- Hear about opinions;
- Get new insights;
- Wide range of answers;
- Provide qualitative data; and
- Facilitate further discussions.
My experience
When our first child started talking and we were able to converse with her, I only asked closed questions. They were easier and quicker questions that I could ask when we were busy to get ready in the morning and winding down after a long day at work. Whether I was asking about what she’s doing at school or how her day was, there wasn’t much conversing happening. When I came across the book “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber, I learned the importance of asking questions and how to do so with ease. Nowadays, I pick and choose between closed and open questions. I make sure to balance between the two to facilitate a relationship where we share as much or little as we feel comfortable.
What now?
- Which type of question do you tend to ask?
- Is it working for you at home, work or business?
- Think of how you can balance between the two types of questions to enhance your discussions and conversations with your loved ones and colleagues.