4. The Extraordinary Power of
Questions
The most powerful
tool in the Meeting
Owner, Chairman or
facilitators armory
Questions request
responses
Question elicit
creativity and ideas
BUT Poor Questioning
close these off
5. Kipling‟s 6 Honest serving Men
Nearly always
precede an open
question
Useful for covering
ground
comprehensively
6. Open Questions Contains no
element of
the answer
No pressure
on
respondent
Maximise
opportunity to
expand
e.g. What effect on your career do you think your unfortunate dress
sense has had? NOT AN OPEN QUESTION
7. Closed Questions
Essential in right Used to get information
place Move things on
Can feel Ask non contentious
interrogative things
Do not give space Gather facts
for explanation Elicit a yes or no answer
Do not leave options “ What is your name?”
in how to answer
“ Do you want to take a
“ Are you ill?” break?”
8. Downsides of Closed
Questions
Dangerous if they force
„uncomfortable disclosure
Can be leading or loaded
Can take you into difficult
psychological areas
9. Leading or Loaded Questions
Like Icebergs 90% of these lies
below the surface
A leading question contains a
specific answer being sought..
“You are the obstruction to
progress here aren’t you?
BEWARE of “Don’t you think?”
it usually precedes a loaded
or leading question
A loaded question contains
an unjustified or
unsubstantiated assumption.
10. Facilitative Questioning
Essential in Meetings
Enquiry not Advocacy
Open Questionsing
Draw Out
Use Follow up Questions
“ Can you say more about
that ?”
There are times when
Closed Questions are
appropriate – “ What time
do we need to stop by?”
11. Questioning Pitfalls
Asking more than one question in the
same sentence.
Loaded questions – “You do want to
stop this topic now don‟t you Sally?”
Confusing or very long questions.
Following a statement from an
attendee with a question directed at
no one in particular… is it me he is
asking or someone else..
Hiding your opinion in a question as
an independent attendee, facilitator,
meeting owner of chairperson
12. The Magic Question is…
The one which no one seems to want to
ask.
The one that pulls the rabbit from the hat
The so called stupid question..
The one that unlocks a deadlock or..
Flushes outs the elephant in the room
The one that allows attendees to reveal
new connections
