How asking the right questions can improve your business

Mark Coudray emphasizes the importance for businesses to understand their customers by asking the right questions. Guided conversations can deliver the right answers to better improve your business.

In the world of business, information is power. Whether you're trying to understand your customers, improve operations, engage employees, or make critical management decisions, the quality of information you receive depends largely on the questions you ask.

Some of the most frustrating conversational situations occur when we project our beliefs onto the responses to questions we've asked, leading to conflicts and missed opportunities. This situation has become progressively worse over the last couple of decades as the personal attention span has dramatically dropped due to the presence of digital influence.  We naturally seek instant responses to the issues we face, at the expense of critical thinking.

This article serves as an introduction to guided conversations that deliver the answers you truly seek. We'll explore strategies and tools that can be applied at any level of business, from customer interactions to high-level management discussions. However, understand that getting the right answer involves more than just asking the right question. There are numerous factors you need to be aware of to ensure the responses you receive are both accurate and truthful.

The Psychology Behind Questioning

To master the art of asking the right questions, the first step is to understand the psychological factors at play. Thinking biases significantly influence how we formulate questions and interpret answers. For instance, confirmation bias leads us to frame questions that confirm our pre-existing beliefs, potentially skewing both our questions and our interpretation of the responses.

Preconceived notions can act as filters, causing us to hear what we expect rather than what's being said. Approaching each conversation with an open mind leads to the opportunity to challenge our assumptions.

Emotional intelligence also plays a vital role in effective questioning. Being aware of your own emotions and those of your counterpart can help you navigate sensitive topics and create an environment fostering open and honest communication.

Common Pitfalls in Business Questioning

Even with the best intentions, it's easy to fall into common questioning pitfalls that undermine your efforts to gather accurate information. Leading questions, which subtly prompt a specific answer, can skew responses and reinforce existing biases.

For example, asking "Don't you think this color is a perfect match?" is likely to elicit a positive response, regardless of the respondent's true opinion. A better question would be: “Tell me your thoughts on the accuracy of this color match”

Binary closed-ended questions may sometimes be necessary.  Be aware they can limit the depth of information gathered. They often result in yes/no answers or simple factual responses, missing out on valuable context and nuance.

Ambiguous or overly complex questions can confuse respondents, leading to inaccurate or incomplete answers. Keeping the question short and precise can strike a balance between specificity and clarity.

Another common mistake is failing to consider the respondent's perspective. This one is hard for me.  It’s natural to ask a question from our own perspective. Questions that make sense from our point of view might be unclear or irrelevant to the person you're asking, resulting in unhelpful responses.

Here is an example: Technical Sales to Non-Technical Customer: Poor question: "Is our standard 2 Delta e color accuracy acceptable for your use?" This question assumes the customer has a deep technical color matching tolerance. Many customers might not know what Delta e is, let alone have specific improvement suggestions. Better approach: "Our customers have a broad range of color matching tolerance? Can you walk me through your experience?"

Principles of Effective Questioning

To overcome these pitfalls, here are some suggested principles to apply to effective questioning. Open-ended questions, which invite detailed responses, are often more valuable than closed-ended ones. They allow respondents to provide context, share their thoughts, and offer unexpected insights. They also reveal where they are relative to your knowledge or experience.

The funnel technique is a powerful approach starting with broad, open-ended questions and gradually narrowing down to more specific inquiries. This method helps build a comprehensive understanding of the topic while allowing for detailed exploration of key points.

For this to work well, keep in mind what the intended goal of your questioning sequence. As Steven Covey is famous for: “Begin with the end in mind.” Think about what the end result of the conversation should be.

Active listening is crucial in guided conversations. It involves fully concentrating on what’s being said, understanding the message, and responding thoughtfully. This practice helps you pick up on subtle cues and ask relevant follow-up questions, which can often reveal the most valuable information.

Guided Conversation Strategies

Effective questioning is just one part of a guided conversation. To truly obtain the answers you seek, create the right environment and use appropriate strategies. This means avoiding loaded, triggering, or judgmental wording. It helps to position the conversation as a discussion around an event or experience and not about the person you are speaking with.

Setting the right context for the conversation is key. Clearly explain the purpose of the discussion and how the information will be used. This transparency can help put respondents at ease and encourage more open and honest answers.

Building rapport and trust with your counterpart is fundamental. This can be achieved through active listening, showing genuine interest, and demonstrating empathy. When people feel comfortable and respected, they're more likely to share candid thoughts and opinions.

Using neutral language helps avoid bias in your questions. Instead of asking: "What problems did you encounter with our service?" Try: Tell me about your experience with our service" This allows respondents to share both positive and negative feedback freely. Moving from a question to a statement removes any implied judgement from the question.

For root cause analysis, the 5 Whys method can be incredibly effective. This involves asking "Why?" repeatedly (typically up to five times) to dig deeper into an issue and uncover its fundamental cause.

My personal model is to use the following sequence:

1. Help me understand (the situation being discussed)
2. Tell me more about that. . .
3. Why is that important?
4. Repeat sequence: Tell me what comes next . . .
5. Ah, expand on that. . .
6. Why is that important?

Repeat until root cause is obtained.

This sequence helps the respondent clarify their own thinking and becomes the basis for collaborative exploration without judgement.

Tools for Effective Questioning

Several tools can aid in developing and structuring effective questions. Bloom's Taxonomy, originally created for educational objectives, can be adapted to business questioning. It provides a hierarchy of question types, from basic recall to complex evaluation, helping you craft questions leading to the level of thinking you need.

Mind mapping can be a valuable tool for developing a comprehensive set of questions. Start with your main topic in the center and branch out with related subtopics and questions, ensuring you cover all relevant aspects of the subject.

Various digital tools are available for structuring and analyzing conversations. These can range from simple survey platforms to advanced AI-powered conversation analysis tools, helping you identify patterns and insights from multiple interactions.

Overcoming Barriers to Truthful Responses

Even with perfectly crafted questions, there can be barriers to receiving truthful responses. Social desirability bias, where respondents provide answers they believe are more socially acceptable, often skew results.

Examples are answers the responder thinks you want to hear. To combat this, emphasize the importance of honest feedback and consider using anonymous feedback mechanisms when appropriate.

Creating a safe environment for honest feedback is a core requirement. This involves assuring confidentiality, demonstrating negative feedback is valued and acted upon, and avoiding defensive reactions to criticism.

Encouraging candid responses often requires building trust over time. Consistently demonstrating you value and act on feedback can help create a culture of openness.

In some situations, particularly when dealing with sensitive topics or power imbalances, anonymity can be key to obtaining truthful responses. Anonymous surveys or third-party interviewers can be effective in these cases.

Conclusion

Asking the right questions is indeed key to getting the right answers, but it's just one piece of a larger puzzle. Effective questioning requires an understanding of psychology, careful attention to question formulation, and the creation of an environment open to honest and clear communication.

By applying the principles and strategies outlined here, you can significantly improve the quality of information you gather in all areas of your business. Remember, the goal is not just to ask questions, but to foster meaningful dialogues that lead to valuable insights and informed decision-making.

As you move forward, challenge yourself to continually refine your questioning techniques. Pay attention to the responses you receive and be willing to adjust your approach. With practice and persistence, you'll find the right questions not only lead to the right answers but also to deeper understanding, stronger relationships, and better business outcomes.

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