Asking a question is one of the simplest ways of learning. We ask questions to gain powerful insights, to problem solve, to deepen connections and understanding of one another and to discover or bring light to new things. We all learn, at a relatively young age, the importance of asking questions, but we don’t always learn how to ask them effectively.

Asking the “right” question is truly an art and as a company that facilitates engaging and purposeful corporate messaging, asking our clients and their teams the right questions correlates to the effectiveness of our events. Think about what questions you ask in an interview, to a partner or a friend, and to your team. Are they purposeful? Do they force a specific answer? 

Here are Drum Cafe North America’s tips on how to ask the right questions in the right way:

1. Find a balance between being friendly and being direct.

   Think about what you want from that person’s answer. Most of us want an honest and meaningful response, so don’t phrase the question in a way that will cause defensiveness or force the answer you’re looking for.

2. Avoid Yes/No Questions.

   Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to. If you can Google it, refrain from asking it.

3. After asking the question, be an active listener.
   

   Nothing is worse than having the person asking the question following up with their own answer. Effective questioning is there to spark conversation, not to sway opinions. Gain insights and produce more effective teams.

4. One of the most important pieces of effective questioning is asking a follow-up question.
   

   This is where you showcase your active listening skills. Make sure you understand their answer and ask a follow-up question to spark deeper conversation on that same topic.

5. Be Clear
   

   Refrain from merging several questions together. Take the extra few minutes to ask clear and concise questions and this will lead to even clearer and more tailored responses.

At Drum Cafe North America we can work with your company and develop a program that will work with your team in specifically exploring and building effective questioning skills. In our programming not only do we offer strategies to improve productivity, but we also work on developing critical reasoning skills and effective questioning in order to arrive at the ultimate results your team is looking to achieve. Contact us to learn more about our programs and how we can assist you.