Ask questions to unearth hidden insights

Tone

Keep a curious, open tone of voice.

Open-ended Questions

Invite people to share and expand by using what/how.
​
“How might we …”
“What led to …

Closed-ended Questions

Move the conversation forward with simple questions with yes/no answers.
​
“Should we …”
​“Have you …”

How might you respond to a friend who wants to buy a fancy car?

Tone

Keep a curious, open tone of voice.

Open-ended Questions

Out of curiosity, what led you to think about buying a fancy car?
What decisions need to be made before making a purchase?

Closed-ended Questions

Is this your dream car?
​Have you already decided what to buy?​

How might you respond to a friend looking for the perfect anniversary gift?

Tone

Keep a curious, open tone of voice.

Open-ended Questions

How might we find something that will blow her away and stay within your budget?

Out of curiosity, what types of gifts does she dislike?

Closed-ended Questions

Has your partner told you what she wants?

Out of curiosity, do you have a budget in mind?

Probing and softening questions.

Probing Questions

Get people to share more
Tell me more.
What else?
What’s really going on?

Get to the problem
What’s the goal?
What’s the real challenge?
What’s at stake?

Clarify
What are the other objectives?
How does this affect things?
By saying yes, what are we saying no to?

Softening Questions

Out of curiosity …
what needs to happen to make a decision?
what parts frustrate you?
what lead you to that conclusion?

How open would you be to…
exploring another alternative?
giving this a chance?
shortening the timeline?

How might we …
turn our weaknesses into advantages?
make this happen without adding staff?
invite quiet people to share more?

I'm not sure it's for you, but ...
​what are your thoughts on fewer meetings?
how might vendors help us accelerate our timeline?