3 Guides to The Art of Asking Smart Questions
Did you know that based on the data from Harvard Business Review, asking questions can indirectly increase our emotional intelligence. Apart from that, by asking questions we can exchange ideas, generate new innovations, improve performance, and even unlock values in an organization. And most importantly, in the field of PR practitioners, asking is what can hone critical powers, and can also build good relationships and trust when communicating with clients.
Have you ever heard the term, embarrassed to ask astray on the street? Here are 3 asking guidelines that you need to understand to create a pleasant conversation:
1. Be a Good Listener
The entire content of the conversation is a component that you can use as material for questions. From one point in the story being expressed by the person we are talking to, we can take another point of view that we want to know.
For example, when a client is telling about the development of his company, we can take a little curiosity for the next session and ask, “How do you encourage your employees to stay together until the end?” So, try to understand every sentence told by the person you are talking to.
Interpret the question carefully
Sometimes the thing that prevents us from asking questions is the feeling of fear that the questions we ask could be offensive or just meaningless questions. Therefore, before asking, you need to interpret the question slowly.
For example, will the other person be comfortable answering this question? Is it important to ask? Is the sentence structure clear? Do you need to add a little humor so it’s not too stiff? However, don’t let it happen that because you think for too long, you don’t ask questions. Just do it, when you are sure.
3. Know the Right Time to Ask
You don’t want the person you are talking to to be overwhelmed by answering questions, right? After all, no one wants to feel interrogated. Let the conversation flow as it is, create a pleasant atmosphere for both parties. Don’t bombard the other person with three questions at once. There are situations where you will subconsciously ask each other open-ended questions, beyond the list of questions. And understand, that unexpected questions are what make your conversation even more memorable.
So, are you ready to ask questions to create a fun and fruitful conversation? Let’s practice straight away!