THE TWO MAJOR TYPES OF QUESTIONS

There are only two basic types of questions—closed and open. Each type is very important to the communication process. Closed questions are generally simple, information gathering questions. Response to a closed question is usually a "yes" or "no" or a very brief answer.

Typical closed questions are:

What time is it?

Did you finish the project?

Are you going to the meeting?

Can you work overtime tonight?

When did you first discover the problem?

 

Closed questions perform the following functions:

- They are easy to answer and seldom intimidating. Will you be finished by 5:00 p.m.?

- They allow specific facts to be gathered. What color do you prefer?

- They are useful in the feedback process where someone wants to check the accuracy or completeness of the communication. Have I got the information right?

- They can be used to gain commitment to a position. Does this seem right so far?

- They can be used to reinforce positive statements. This seems like a good plan, doesn't it?

- They can be used to direct the conversation to a desired topic or concern. Do you have time to talk about the budget?

Open questions are generally more stimulative and require longer, more complex answers. Open questions are used to draw out a wide range of responses on a broad topic. They often ask lor opinions, thoughts, or feelings. Typical open questions are:

 

How did you feel about the meeting?

What could we do to make this project better?

How can we meet our objectives?

What's your opinion on the new marketing plan?

How important is it to you?

 

Open questions have the following characteristics:

- They usually begin with "what" or "how." What do you think about the new benefit policy?

- They cannot be answered by a simple yes or no. How do you think we could make this process work better? Not: Do you think we could do this process better?

- They do not lead the answer. Where could we make improvements in the new marketing plan? Not: How much do you like our neat new marketing plan?

- They draw out ideas and feelings. How do you feel about the reorganization of the department

- They encourage elaboration on objectives, needs, wants, andproblems. What do you think about the new employee review system?

- They promote self-discovery. How do you think the new process will work for your group?

- They stimulate thinking about your ideas. Where do you think we might run into problems with this idea?

- They allow a broad range of responses and styles. How would you change the policy?

It's important to know which kind of question—open or closed—to use to achieve your goals. Both are useful and can help you achieve several different purposes including:

Fact-finding —if you are looking for specific information and data, use closed questions that ask for the detail you need. "What did you accomplish on the project?" will generate more detail than "Did you get a lot done?" Take notes and verify that you understood the information correctly.

Feeling-finding —to understand a person's feeling about a subject generally requires an open question. Are you happy about the project? doesn't get the same response as the open-ended question: How do you feel about the project? Used prop­erly, feeling-finding questions generate a lot of information about attitudes, convictions, and motivations. Feeling-finding questions are extremely powerful because they are so seldom asked... and the answers are carefully listened to even less frequently.

Clarifying —closed questions are used to verify your un­derstanding of a conversation. Do I understand you correctly? Are you referring to...? Do you mean...? ate examples of questions you can ask to make sure you understand the infor­mation being given to you.

Expanding —open questions are used to draw out further information on a topic. Can you give me an example? Would you tell me more about that point? What else might be causing a problem? are questions that continue to generate information about the subject.

Directing —directing questions are generally closed and point the conversation toward a

particular goal. What was the other point you wanted to make? Can we go back and talk about your first item? Couldn't we postpone the decision for a week? With these questions, you want to direct the conversation to a different topic or to lead the person to a particular decision.