Spend time and find space to structure your questions before you start asking so you get the answer that you need. Listen to understand. A conversation or a dialogue is a two-way street. If you are the only one talking, then stop, and ask more questions.
2. Content
DISCUSSION TOPICS
Why Asking Questions is Important
Different Type, Different Goals
Five Steps to Asking Good & Effective Questions
Are you listening?
360 Listening
Start Practising
3. ASK QUESTIONS THE OTHER
PERSON WILL ENJOY ANSWERING.
D a l e C a r n e g i e -
H o w t o W i n F r i e n d s a n d I n f l u e n c e P e o p l e
01
4. Why asking
questions is
important?
To make the right decision,
you need to start asking questions
that really matter.
Slow down and take time
to ask more and better questions.
02
5. Explore aspects of the problem that are ignored in the
conversation. This can open useful discussion on cultural
and legal differences between you and the other person.
E.g. How would this apply in Australia? or How does that
concept apply to the task?
ADJOINING
Help to better understand what has been said and
uncover the real intent behind what is said. Help
understand each other better and lead us to correct
assumptions and not missing relevant parts. E.g. Why do
you say so? Can you tell me more?
CLARIFYING
ZOOM OUT. Use when you're not sure what is the 'real'
problem. This is to raise broader issues and highlight
bigger picture to understand the overall context. This
questions makes you see better connections between
individual problems.
E.g. What are the larger trends we should be concerned
about? How do they all tie together?
ELEVATING
ZOOM IN. Use this to understand how an answer was
derived, to challenge assumptions, and to understand the
root causes of problems. E.g. How did you do the
analysis? Why did you not include this step?
FUNELLING
A E
C F
CHOOSING THE RIGHT QUESTION
WideNarrow
VIEWOFTHEPROBLEM
INTENT OF THE QUESTION
Affirming what you know Discovering something new
03
6. Five
steps of
asking
good and
effective
question
What specifically do I want to know?
What info am I missing?
What source do I have to help me to
form my question?
FOCUS
Why am I asking this?
Do I want to gather facts or opinion?
Do I want to offer different views?
What am I going to do with this info?
How do I want people to respond?
Am I starting a discussion?
Am I asking out of frustration or
curiosity?
Do I really care about the answers?
Am I using understandable terms?
Does my question contains facts or
opinion?
Does the question focus on only one
thing?
If I don't have the answer I need,
what are my next steps?
What can I do, if I still don't
understand?
Do I have any more questions?
1
PURPOSE2
INTENT3
FRAME4
FOLLOW-UP5
04
7. The biggest communication
problem is we do not listen to
understand. We listen to reply.
Listen to others and then be
brave with your decision.
05
9. Allocate 100%
Space
Ask the right
questions
Request
Clarifications
Para-phrase
Attuned to &
Reflect Feelings
360
LISTENING
Summarise what
have been said
07
11. START PRACTISING
CREATE SPACE IN
YOUR DAY
Manage your calendar. Don't book yourself
out the entire day. Give yourself time for
reflection and space throughout the day, so
when you're talking to someone, you can
give 100% full attention. Get interested and
look interested.
ASK MORE
QUESTIONS
Before answering, ask a question that benefit
the person to understand and dive deeper into
their thoughts and experience.
Choose the 4 types of questions and follow
the 5-step process. Make sure you use 360
Listening steps to fully understand the
situation. If you are face-to-face, observe the
body language. Resist the urge to interrupt.
CLARIFY &
SUMMARISE
Clarify what they really need. Feeding back
what you have understood to test your
understanding. Neutralise your feelings
and put your judgmental thoughts aside.
It's not about you. Refrain from suggesting
a solution immediately. First help them to
draw up a solution themselves.
