We live in a world with multiple channels and sources that lead to an ocean of information. But the relevance, validity, and reliability of this information are only as strong as the questions asked about them. The element of asking questions is one of the most useful communication tools that anyone and everyone should have in their toolkit. It results in one becoming a more connected and genuine communicator, making it a very important art to master.
Why ask questions?
Like the extra blade in a Swiss Army knife, an appropriate question asked at the right time can achieve a variety of goals that pertain to communication. This ranges from building trust and motivation in teams, to keeping participants engaged on call.
The biggest purpose to start with in a corporate context is the acquisition of information.
“What’s the status on the corporate pitch deck presentation?”
You asked a question to know something, and you got the information you needed. The second one is to building relationships. Asking people questions is a step towards your networking with them; you are able to know more about them. And of course, they get to know about you, too. You can also ask questions to generate ideas and foster creativity. In the current age of prolonged remote working with communication mostly run by conference calls, this is of the essence. This therefore begs the next question.
What are the right questions to ask?
Asking the appropriate questions comes down to 3 simple techniques: