Reception of asking questions. Ability to ask questions correctly
Let's look at three types of questions and ways to formulate them.
Table 9. Types of questions and methods of their formation
| Communication techniques | Definitions | How to do this? | |
| Open questions | Questions requiring a detailed answer | Start your question with: What? How? Why? How? Under what conditions? etc. “What facts (conditions, limitations, benefits, etc.) should we pay attention to?” “What should be done to change the situation?” “What outcome would be acceptable to you?” “How might we formulate our task?” "What do you mean when you talk about..." “If you take this position, what will be your first actions?” | |
| Closed questions | Questions that require an unambiguous answer (for example, a statement of the exact date, name, indication of the quantity of something, etc.) or a “yes” or “no” answer | When is the project due date? How many units do you have left in reserve? Do you want to abandon the project? Are you most intrusive about your work schedule? etc. | |
| 3. | Alternative questions | Questions that contain answer options | Do you prefer to perceive information auditorily, visually, or a combination? Do you prefer that I give you an answer by phone, fax or email? email? Are you interested in the problems of motivating students, motivating staff or motivating politicians? |
The most important thing in training is to develop the technique of asking open questions. Closed and alternative questions are given only for completeness of the classification. Perhaps this is our disease - from the very beginning, without clarifying the problem, we immediately formulate our version, and then ask closed questions to check this version. In essence, closed questions are hypotheses, ready-made assumptions that only need to be confirmed or refuted. However, our hypotheses may not be at all about what our partner means or wants to tell us.
It is better to replace hypotheses with open questions that allow the partner to give your version. Alternative questions occupy an intermediate position, but, in essence, these are also hypotheses, it’s just that the alternative question contains not one, but several hypotheses.
And all these hypotheses may turn out to be wrong.
For example:
Are you asking me to play the role of a director, so that I can play a bad director, a very bad director, or our director?
I offer you the role of a director, so that you play yourself.
Most people ask closed questions so automatically that the training here should be to learn how to transform closed questions into open questions. For more information on the possibilities of training the technique of closed questions, see Chapter. 7 (exercise “Who is this person”).
Open questions should be formulated in such a way that the partner would like to answer them. Meanwhile, an open question can produce a paradoxical negative effect: the partner withdraws into himself, loses interest in the conversation, finds himself completely discouraged, suddenly unsettled, etc.
The reason for this may be questions that are perceived as hidden accusations, reproaches, unsolicited advice, false interpretations (see below about false interpretations). Often the first, and most powerful and painful response to a question is “the sound of a plucked spiritual string.” "Why didn't you do it?" - they ask the person. The response to this question is the sound of the string: “I am to blame, because I should have done it.” “Why do you think so?” - they ask another person. The string responds: “If I think so, then I’m probably an incompetent, irresponsible, unprincipled, etc. person,” etc.
The reason that many questions are perceived by us not as an information request, but as an accusation or reproach, is the special position of the question in our culture in general. The right to ask questions is a status privilege. “I am asking the questions here,” such a statement can only be made by someone who has great authority, power, and strength. Therefore, the question in itself is a signal that someone suppressive is approaching us, capable of imposing his will.
In addition, as Yu. N. Emelyanov expressed it, “in our culture... condemnation and prohibition are expressed not so much by imperative as by interrogative sentences. Instead of telling a child or junior in position: “Don’t go!” or “Don’t take it!”, we say: “Where did you go?”, “Why did you take it?” etc. Superior censure or “administrative delight of those in power” also take the form of questions: “When will you stop being late?”, “Where did you see that...?”, “When will you wiser up?” (Emelyanov Yu. N., 1991, p. 39).
The response to questions is in the nature of a generalized negative reaction, often regardless of even the intonation of the question. It is better to avoid negative “triggers” (“starters”) of such a negative reaction.
In table 10 shows typical errors in asking questions and options for their constructive replacement.
Table 10.Common mistakes when asking questions
and ways to overcome them
| A typical mistake in the wording of a question | Why is this an error? | Way to overcome |
| 1. Why? | Hidden accusation: “Your choice is not clear to me, and therefore wrong.” | What are the main arguments in favor of this decision? What is the logic behind this choice? How could one confirm the feasibility of such a decision? |
| 2. Why don't you...? | Hidden accusation: “You chose the wrong path.” | What measures could be effective in this situation? How could we justify their effectiveness? |
| 3. How could you agree...? (refuse... invite... don't invite... answer like that... don't answer, etc.) | Hidden accusation: “You are not experienced enough (prudent, loyal to the organization,” etc.) | What prompted the positive decision? What prompted you to agree? Could you please provide reasons for your decision? |
A careful study of the right column leads us to the conclusion that the most neutral questions are those containing the pronoun “we” or containing no pronouns at all. When the pronoun “you” or “you” is used in a question, the danger of a generalized negative reaction is much higher. This effect can only be neutralized by emphasizing the politeness of the wording.
Small talk techniques
Small conversation is considered in connection with the task of “talking” a partner. However, its functions go far beyond this task. As John Kotter's research has shown (see Chapter 2), a significant portion of all conversations in which general managers engage are small conversations.
A small conversation is a conversation on a topic that is interesting and pleasant for the interlocutors, most often not related to the topic of the “big” conversation. Small conversation techniques are:
1) quoting a partner;
2) positive statements;
3) information;
4) an interesting story.
Small talk is a relaxed and pleasant conversation about family matters, hobbies, and funny events. This conversation seems random, incidental, insignificant, spontaneously born out of nothing. She is light, like a butterfly, whose flight is not planned or controlled by anyone. However, this is only an external impression.
The purpose of a small conversation is to create a favorable psychological atmosphere, to lay the foundations of mutual sympathy and trust. Or - to restore emotional balance, sympathy and trust.
A small conversation should take place in the personal expert zone of the interlocutor, touching on pleasant or interesting aspects of life for him.
Each person has professional and personal areas of expertise.
These zones may have different areas of intersection. Theoretically, one can imagine a person whose two zones completely coincide: he is interested in doing the same thing both at work and outside of work, thinking about the same thing and talking about the same thing. Most people, however, have a personal life, a home, a hobby...
High class small talk is to talk about what is another person's area of expertise, not your own.
The real masters of small talk are my Swedish colleagues at the Stockholm School of Economics in St. Petersburg. At first I was amazed at how careful they were to regularly engage in idle conversations with each other and with me. Then I began to realize how pleasant it is when they have such “empty conversation” with you. Suddenly you “find yourself,” as the British say, in the process of a pleasant, delightfully light and fascinating conversation. With joy and self-forgetfulness, you share your impressions about what kind of fence you put up in your dacha or what color pen paste you prefer. Before you have time to look back, you are already in the flight of a small conversation butterfly.
It turns out that this butterfly, by its appearance, changes the psychological situation in the process of a big conversation. The graph shows the voltage change curve during a large conversation. Initially, small talk creates a favorable emotional tone. Then the big conversation begins, and if negative tension arises during it, the small conversation helps to return to the positive zone of tension. This may happen several times throughout a large conversation. The small conversation butterfly helps restore relationships that have been slightly shaken as a result of confrontation, instantly correct the situation, and restore balance.
At first, such an “oscillogram” of a large conversation did not seem entirely natural. There is a serious discussion going on, and there is a sharp difference of opinion. Why does a conversation suddenly start about trifles during a coffee break? Yes, so that everyone can have fun again. Any, even very serious, confrontation is overcome thanks to a small conversation, and a big conversation also ends with laughter about some funny situations that, in essence, have nothing to do with the matter.
Negative
Voltage
Small talk is a noble technique. The one who starts a small conversation shows generosity towards his partner. Just as Antaeus in ancient Greek mythology gained strength by coming into contact with the earth, with his mother Gaia, so the partner becomes stronger by coming into contact with his expert zone.
Having appreciated the possibilities of small talk in creating and maintaining a favorable atmosphere of interaction, I began to purposefully learn from my Swedish colleagues the art of small talk. Gradually we managed to comprehend the butterfly's flight path. So I formulated four small conversation techniques:
1. Quoting a partner.
2. Positive statements.
3. Information.
You said that you have been to Suzdal before?
I remember you love pastel colors...
You were planning to visit this exhibition...
I remember we talked about how you like to steam in the bathhouse at your dacha...
I remembered the difference between a wobbler and a spinner after our conversation...
Positive statements
Positive statements about events in the partner’s life, about favorable events in life in general, about changes for the better, about the achievements of the partner and others’ achievements, about people not participating in the conversation but known to both interlocutors, etc.
I heard that you were at this wonderful festival on Sunday?
I have already noticed this leather cover of your notebook many times...
It looks like you started using multi-colored markers when working with text. This seems very effective. I'll probably follow your example.
Now the metro line has been brought almost directly to your house, isn’t it?
I like that there is now commercial transport in the city. When you are in a hurry, it is irreplaceable.
This kind of computer screen really won’t tire your eyes...
I recently met Andrey. He was so carried away by his thoughts! Working on a new project. Amazing!
Informing
Communicating information that is important, interesting and pleasant for the partner.
I have already seen rubber boats with an echo sounder for sale in a sports store on Liteiny.
Marina just showed me a magazine with carnival costumes for the New Year. I think there is also a horse costume, very funny. And Marina, by the way, has not yet left the faculty. She's in the cafeteria now.
It turns out that you can choose a vegetarian menu for the entire duration of the seminar. Today there will be mushroom soup and roast vegetables.
I learned that everyone can join the excursion to the Hermitage. You need to sign up with a girl named Olga. Tall blonde, she has a name tag on her jacket.
There is apple juice at the other end of the table.
The latest issue of the journal Nonverbal Behavior finds that women look longer at those they like, and men look longer at those they like...
Interesting story
Fascinating, exciting story, unexpected, pleasant or piquant, etc.
One teacher from our department was supposed to give a lecture on the psychology of perception at the Academy of Arts. According to the schedule, he learned that his lecture was supposed to be in room 315. He went to the third floor, found room 311, then 313, and the next door turned out to be without a number. Well, just in case, he goes there, sees the students and asks them: “Is this the third year?” They answer: “No.” He moved on. He looks at another door, also without a number. He opens it, sees the students and asks: “Is this the third year?” And for some reason the students began to laugh and also said “No.” He went further, opened the third door, which also had no number, and asked: “Is this the third year?” In response there was thunderous laughter! Hundreds of students literally squealed with delight. The fact is that all three doors led to the same classroom, 313, and he addressed the same students three times, but from different doors.
The criteria for “correct” small talk are as follows:
1) he is pleasant;
2) it involves;
3) he has;
4) provides food for the next small conversation.
Table 11. Typical small conversation mistakes
| Type of error | Examples |
| 1. “Forcible interview” (interrogation) | - Well, what makes you happy about your son? lately? - Gets into it computer... Even too much. - What games does he play?- ? (interlocutor in difficulty) - What are his favorite games?- ? (the interlocutor is in even greater difficulty). |
| 2. “Life Inventory” | - Well, tell me where you went lately. - Oh, I’m so tired of traveling that I don’t even want to talk about them... - Poor thing! ... Well, what's new in your personal life? - You know, I want it that way get distracted at least for a few hours... - Well, then tell me what good happened to you, etc. |
| 3. Degeneration into a big conversation | - Of course you are are you planning this in winter ski! I know you love. - Yes, starting December 28 I will go to the mountains for a week. - Since the 28th? Will you have time to prepare a report? etc. |
| 4. Intriguing “Russian native” | -Strange, New Year on the nose, but nothing was decorated anywhere at the university. -Yes, I’m not in any mood. - What is the mood here when the salary will only be given on the 31st. We won’t even have time to buy gifts. -And there won’t be a prize? - Of course it won't etc. |
| 5. “Not typical” | Employees of the company gathered in the conference room to congratulate one of the directors on his birthday. Everyone is in full dress, as the grand opening of the new training course begins in 40 minutes. This important event, and many people think to themselves about whether they managed to do everything... whether they prepared everything... Many are worried, including the birthday girl. After congratulations and the invariable “Happy birthbay”, there is a pause. - Well, are you getting ready to celebrate Christmas? asks one of the high-ranking guests. Pause. Many look at each other in bewilderment. |
Verbalization techniques
Now we move on to the actual active listening techniques. Sometimes they are considered as stages of verbalization - A, B, C or A, B, C, depending on which alphabet the coach chooses.
Table 12. Active Listening Techniques
| № | Technicians | Definitions | How to do this? |
| 1. | Verbalization, stage A | Repetition: verbatim reproduction, quoting what a partner said | 1. Insert quotes from the partner’s statements into your own phrases - So, do you think...(hereinafter cited). As far as I understand you...(hereinafter the quote) 2. Repeat verbatim the last words of the partner 3. Repeat with a questioning intonation one or two words spoken by the partner |
| 2. | Verbalization, stage B | Paraphrasing: briefly conveying the essence of your partner’s statement | Try to succinctly formulate what your partner said Follow your partner’s logic, not your own logic |
| 3. | Verbalization, stage B | Interpretation: making assumptions about the true meaning of what was said or about the reasons and purposes of a partner’s statement. | 1. Ask clarifying questions: - You probably mean...?-You, You're probably saying this because...? - Apparently you want...? 2.Use the technique of test questions, or conditional hypotheses: -Or maybe it’s that you hope that...? - Or maybe you would like...? -Or maybe it’s more important for you to win than to save the team? |
These techniques were first formulated by Carl Rogers. And he really used them, especially the first two. I was lucky to watch Carl Rogers work in Moscow. He conducted a demonstration interview with a client in the huge hall of the Faculty of Humanities at Moscow University in 1984. There was an amazing feeling that he was only repeating, gently returning to the client her own phrase each time. Sometimes he combined two phrases into one or generalized them. However, there were almost no interpretations in his work.
In his books, Rogers emphasized that he very rarely uses interpretations because they are useless and sometimes harmful. “If these interpretations... turn out to be accurate, then they either generate powerful defenses, or (even worse) deprive the person of protection altogether, leaving him vulnerable to attack or broken...” (C. Rogers, 1970, p. 72) . False interpretations can cause even greater harm: “...this hard, being mistaken for someone you are not, or when they hear something you didn't say. This causes anger, a sense of futility and frustration” (C. Rogers, 1980, p. 12).
However, in Russian culture, interpretation is perhaps more common than simple, word-for-word repetition. In our joint study with M. Ya. Soloveichik, it was shown that technique B - especially if it is formulated as “a brief repetition of the essence of what the partner said” – is rated most highly by training participants, in second place is technique B, interpretation, and technique A, repetition , is only in the last third place (Sidorenko E.V., Soloveychik M.Ya., 1989). Mere repetition does not seem to be as effective as an attempt to reproduce the essence or penetrate into the true reasons for the statement.
The functions of verbalization techniques are described in the works of N. Yu. Khryashcheva and V. P. Zakharov (Zakharov V. P., 1990; Khryashcheva N. Yu., Zakharov V. P., 1990). In the description of specific exercises in Chap. 7 we will talk about these functions later. Now let’s discuss the most common mistakes in the use of verbalization techniques.
Table 13. Typical verbalization errors and ways to overcome them
Control techniques educational activities students as a means of implementing the Federal State Educational Standard: technique of asking questions
The ability to pose reasonable questions is already an important and necessary sign of intelligence or insight. If the question in itself is meaningless and requires useless answers, then, in addition to shame for the questioner, it sometimes also has the disadvantage that it prompts the unwary listener to absurd answers and creates a funny spectacle: one (in the words of the ancients) milks a goat, and the other holds it under with a sieve.
I. Kant
A well-posed question is one that a participant in a business conversation will want to answer, will be able to answer, or that he will want to think about, and he will be interested in cooperation.
Questioning is one of the most important learning tools. Questions formulated by the teacher and students act as a tool cognitive activity, they mediate the interaction of subjects educational process.
The question serves as the starting point of cognitive activity aimed at solving the problem indicated by the question. Through questions, humanity moves into the unknown, gradually discovering the world in its entirety.
Questions are needed to navigate the world around us, and those who know how to ask them get much more useful information than those who do not know how to do this.
The teacher poses questions to the students, while deciding a whole series didactic tasks:
awaken to activity;
actualize their needs and formulate motives;
find out the attitude to events, facts, material being studied;
find out the level of assimilation of the studied material;
determine the level of understanding;
help in decision making and self-determination in activities;
lead to the desired conclusion;
encourage children to ask their own questions.
Classification of questions
In teaching practice, there are several types of questions: closed, open, creative, leading, questions with an alternative answer, main and secondary questions, key and rhetorical.
Closed questions- these are questions to which an unambiguous answer is given (“yes”, “no”, the exact one is called, date, name, number, etc.) In lessons they are used to test knowledge of factual material, they are used when conducting tests and tests. The teacher knows the answers to closed questions; they are in the textbooks.
Open questionsbegin with the words: why, why, how, what is your opinion and require a detailed answer in free form. Open questions make it possible to find out not how much the student has mastered the educational material, but how he thinks, what meanings he puts into the subject of study or discussion. At the same time, the student is in an active state, as he must think about his statements and justify his position with arguments. Answers to open questions are not always in textbooks, sometimes even the teacher himself does not know them
Creative questionsare a type of open questions in which. Questions begin, for example, in this way: “What would change… if…”, “What would happen if…”, etc.
Questions with alternative answerscan be either closed or open; they are used in tests and olympiad tasks, when it is necessary to choose the correct answer from several proposed ones.
Guiding Questions– questions with the help of which the student is led to the expected answer.
Key questionsplanned in advance by the teacher,minorare intended to supplement them as necessary.
Key questions- these are questions that affect the broader context of the topic being studied in the lesson, concern foresight or practical application knowledge. These questions stimulate children to look for answers and activate cognitive activity.
Rhetorical questionsdo not require a direct answer and are asked to focus students' attention or gain their support.
N.I. Zaprudsky also proposes a classification of questions according to the nature of the questions being asked:
Comprehension Questions: Did I understand you correctly...? The purpose of asking this question is to better understand what the speaker is saying.
Questions for clarification:Please clarify... So, do you mean that...? If I understand you correctly, then...? I could be wrong, but I think you said about...? And then there is a request to clarify this or that fragment of the student’s speech. The purpose of these questions is to provide the person with opportunities for feedback on what they just said. Sometimes they are asked to obtain information that is not in the message, but is implied. It is very important to ask these questions without a negative connotation.
Questions for development:Can your thought or your story be developed as follows...? And then the one who asks gives his interpretation of the development of events, the logic of the story, etc.
Successful experience in organizing the educational process, recommendations from psychologists allow us to formulate certain rules for asking questions to students, following which you can achieve greater efficiency lesson.
Rule one.During the lesson, the teacher should take the position not of a controller, but of a partner in the learning process. The success of a teacher depends on how well he knows how to communicate with students, whether he is ready to address them not only with questions about the educational material, but also with questions about how this material is studied by them. A friendly atmosphere should be created in the class, the teacher should encourage the posing of interesting questions and demonstrate examples of formulation and formulation of questions, making extensive use of key, open-ended questions, showing interest not only in the material being studied, but also in the learning process.
Rule two.Be clear about the purpose of your questions. It is the goal setting that will help when choosing questions that will be posed to children.
Rule three.It is preferable to use open-ended questions, turning the closed-ended questions that are usually located at the end of a textbook paragraph into open-ended questions that allow for multiple answers and encourage further dialogue. R. Smead recommends more often using “Columbo questions” (named after the famous television detective), starting with the words: “Yes, by the way, it’s interesting...” and addressed as if to no one. The teacher, in the form of a question, shares his difficulty in the presence of children. One condition is that this difficulty must be real, and not “game-like,” since “dramatizations” rarely give the expected result.
Rule four.It is advisable to avoid asking questions to which the teacher knows the answers himself. For example, instead of the question “What is called electric current?” It’s better to ask: “How do you understand this phenomenon - electric current?. At the same time, it becomes clear to the student that the main thing for the teacher is not the electric current, but himself, his understanding of this phenomenon.
Rule five.If possible, formulate questions not only to the educational material, but also to other components of the lesson: goals, forms, methods and means of teaching, activities of students and teachers, the result and methods of its control and evaluation.
Rule six.Invite children to answer questions in pairs, which allows you to stimulate students’ cognitive activity and develop their communication skills.
Rule seven.The children should have time to think about the question, which will allow them to come to the correct answer or an interesting version of the answer.
Rule eight.Call on more than just the most successful students to respond.
Rule nine. Respond correctly to children's answers, even if they are wrong. The situation when a student cannot answer a question should be considered normal by the teacher. The fact of difficulty should be taken as normal: we all constantly face difficulties, but that’s why we learn to overcome them.
Rule ten.Conduct targeted work on learning to ask questions correctly.
Rule eleven.In the words of Alison King, “Thinkers know how to ask questions.” Some teachers determine how much their students can think by the way they formulate questions. King conducted a series of studies and came to the conclusion that the ability to ask thoughtful questions is a skill that should be taught, since most people are accustomed to asking fairly simple questions that require only a small memory effort to answer them. Children should not be forced to defend themselves by asking questions. With appropriate intonation, any question beginning with the word “why” is perceived as an attempt to put the student in a situation of making excuses.
School practice creates the expectation in children that there is a “right answer” to any question and if they are sufficiently prepared or smart, they will always be able to find it. That is why the situation when a student cannot answer a question (even if he formulated this question himself) is unpleasant and causes a desire to defend himself.
The literature describes various methods, aimed at developing students’ skills in formulating questions: “question words”, the “thick” and “thin” question technique, the “6” techniqueW", "chamomile of questions".
1. Strategy “Interrogative words”
This strategy is used when students already have some knowledge of the topic and are familiar with a number of basic concepts related to the material being studied. “Question words” help them create a so-called “field of interest.”
The teacher asks students to remember various concepts related to the topic and write them down in the right column of the two-part table. On the left side, students write down various question words (at least eight), for example, how, what, where, why, how much, from where, which, why, how, what is the purpose, what is the relationship, etc. The set of question words depends on the content new topic. After this, it is proposed to formulate as many questions as possible in 5-7 minutes, combining elements of both columns. This work can be done individually or in pairs.
Students do not have to know the answers to their questions. Why ask if the answer is known!? Thus, you will get several lists of very different questions.
2. Technique "Thick" and "thin" questions"
This technique is often used as part of technology for teaching critical thinking.
“Subtle” questions require a short answer, like closed questions. “Thick” questions require detailed answers, like open questions.
“Subtle” questions begin with the words: Who...? Where …? When … ? What …? Is it true...? Could...? “Thick” questions begin with the words: Explain why...? What's the difference...? What do you think...? What will happen if...?
The technique is also used in the following teaching situations:
To organize a mutual survey . After studying the topic, students are asked to formulate three “thin” and three “thick” questions related to the material covered. Then they question each other.
To start a conversation on the topic being studied . If you simply ask: “What interests you about this topic?”, there is a chance that the questions will turn out to be thoughtless and hasty. If, after a short introduction, you ask students to formulate at least one question in each column, then you can already judge the main directions of studying the topic that interest students.
To identify questions left unanswered after studying a topic. Often students ask questions without considering the time it will take to answer. Teachers may call such questions inappropriate and untimely. The described technique develops the ability to assess the relevance of a particular issue, at least in terms of time.
3. “6 W” technique
Technique 6 “W” is so named because “W” is the first letter of the question word “Why?”, which is translated from English language not only as “Why?”, but also as “Why?”, “For what reason?” etc.
The “6 W” technique allows you to learn how to formulate a question in such a way as to identify an unknown area within the framework of a seemingly already fully studied topic. All questions and answers should be recorded. One condition is that the answers should not be repeated.
Thanks to this technique, students not only have the opportunity to establish many connections within the framework of one topic (and, as is known, the most durable knowledge is that which has many different connections), not only realize the deeper reasons for studying a given concept, but also determine for themselves a personal the meaning of studying it. They seem to “ground” “dry” information to a vital, practical level. As a result, they “feel the ground under their feet” and gain self-confidence.
4. “Chamomile of Questions” (or “Chamomile of Bloom”)
The taxonomy of questions, based on the taxonomy of educational goals by levels of cognitive activity created by the famous American psychologist and teacher Benjamin Bloom (knowledge, understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation), is quite popular in the world of modern education.
As I. Zagashev, the author of the technique, notes, the experience of using this technique indicates that students of all ages, starting from the first grade, understand the meaning of all types of questions, i.e. can give their own examples. Thanks to this set of questions, children acquire the ability to understand the situation and look at it from different angles.
Six petals - six types of questions.
Simple questions - questions, in answer to which you need to name some facts, remember and reproduce certain information. They are often used in traditional forms of control: during tests, in tests, when conducting terminological dictations, etc.
Clarifying questions . They usually start with the words: “So, are you saying that...?”, “If I understand correctly, then...?”, “I could be wrong, but, in my opinion, you said about...?” The purpose of these questions is to provide the person with opportunities for feedback on what they just said. Sometimes they are asked to obtain information that is not in the message, but is implied. It is very important to ask these questions without negative facial expressions. As a parody of a clarifying question, we can give a well-known example (raised eyebrows, wide open eyes): “Do you really think that ...?”
Interpretive (explanatory) questions . They usually start with the word “Why?” In some situations, they may be perceived negatively - as coercion to justify. In other cases, they are aimed at establishing cause-and-effect relationships. “Why do the leaves on trees turn yellow in the fall?” If the answer to this question is known, it “turns” from an interpretive one into a simple one. Consequently, this type of question “works” when there is an element of independence in the answer.
Creative questions . If a question contains a particle “would”, elements of convention, assumption, forecast, we call it creative. “What would change in the world if people had not five fingers on each hand, but three?” “How do you think the plot of the film will develop after the advertising?”
Assessment questions . These questions are aimed at clarifying the criteria for evaluating certain events, phenomena, facts. “Why is something good and something bad?”, “How is one lesson different from another?” etc.
Practical questions . If a question aims to establish the relationship between theory and practice, we call it practical. “Where can you observe diffusion in everyday life?”, “What would you do in the place of the hero of the story?”
If you use “Chamomile of Questions” in lower grades, you can leave the visual design. Children like to formulate questions on any topic by writing them on the appropriate “petals”. When working with older people, you can leave the classification itself, then the task will look like this: “Before reading the text aboutcacti , independently formulate one practical and one assessment question. Perhaps the text will help us answer them.”
Why does the teacher ask the question? It depends on what the teacher expects. Get a harmonious correct answer? Push the respondent to reconsider his position or point of view? Make someone look back and pay attention to what they already know and what they missed or go deeper into the topic. All this can be done with good questions.
What makes a bad question? It confuses and “freezes” the process of thinking and cognition, forcing you to mark time.
This does not mean that good questions should not be difficult and should not pose obstacles for those answering. But a student who overcomes obstacles and a student who is confused are two different things.
What makes a bad question? Its main feature is that a bad question implies that the student must guess what the teacher thinks about this. The danger with bad questions is that they make you think more about social expectations and the teacher's attitude towards you than about the essence of the material. Another danger is that the answers to such questions are not the construction of something new, but the reproduction of what is already known.
A good question, a question asked at the right time, has a huge learning effect because it brings the problem into sharp relief. It can be a bridge to other questions that children may have. Also, the answers and any opinions expressed should lead to new questions, exciting curiosity and imagination.
As you think through the question, set yourself up to make them good:
model development from one issue to another;
experiment with their wording;
work with intonation;
simplify the syntax so that pure thought crystallizes from the confusion.
Ilya Isakovich Aminov, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, consulting psychologist
Business information does not always reach us in the volume we would like. During business communication, you often have to obtain the necessary information from your partners, asking them about all the essential aspects of the matter. To ask means to acquire information and express an assessment of the information received.
Asking means showing interest in your partner and a willingness to give him time. However, with your inept, annoying, inappropriate questions, you can achieve the opposite effect: instead of information, the partner will “close down”, become wary, or even refuse to cooperate altogether. This is why it is so important to be able to ask (pose, formulate) questions correctly.
The German philosopher I. Kant wrote:
“The ability to pose reasonable questions is already an important and necessary sign of intelligence or insight. If the question in itself is meaningless and requires useless answers, then, in addition to shame for the questioner, it sometimes also has the disadvantage that it prompts the unwary listener to absurd answers and creates a funny spectacle: one (in the words of the ancients) milks a goat, and the other holds it under it's a sieve."
A well-posed question is one that a participant in a business conversation will want to answer, will be able to answer, or that he will want to think about, and he will be interested in cooperation.
By one way or another formulation of the question (its formulation), a variety of goals can be achieved:
- interest the interlocutor and give him the opportunity to speak, so that he himself provides the information you need;
- activate your partner and move from your own monologue to dialogue with him, which is more effective when business communication;
- direct the process of information transfer in a direction that suits your plans and interests;
- seize and maintain the initiative in communication.
It takes courage to ask. After all, asking questions to another means revealing one’s own position, making one’s value system transparent to another.
It has been noticed that it is better to start a business conversation with a series of pre-prepared questions. By the very fact of the question, you show that you want to participate in communication and ensure its further flow and deepening. This reassures the other person that you are interested in him and want to establish a positive relationship. To maintain a conversation, it is also better to ask questions than to monologue. The art of persuasion is to lead the interlocutor to the desired conclusion, and not to impose this conclusion by the force of logic, voice or authority.
Posing questions requires not only their careful preparation, but also the development of their system, thinking about the wording. This is the key link for obtaining information. It is here that the foundation is laid for the activation of business communication and its creative direction. It should be remembered that most people are reluctant to answer direct questions for many reasons (fear of conveying incorrect information, insufficient knowledge of the subject, business restrictions, reserve, difficulties in presentation, etc.). Therefore, you first need to interest your interlocutor, explain to him that answering your questions is in his interests.
As a rule, the purpose of the dialogue, which is always structured according to the “question-answer” scheme, comes down to the analysis of a problem. To comprehensively, systematically cover the situation, an appropriate set of questions is required.
There are several types of questions that are usually used in business communication: in negotiations, meetings, and business meetings.
Closed question- this is a question to which you can give an unambiguous answer (“yes”, “no”, name the exact date, name or number, etc.) For example: “Do you live in Moscow?” - "No". "Do you drive a car?" - “Yes.” “Which university did you graduate from and when?” - “MSU, in 1992.”
Closed questions should be precisely formulated and require short answers. They usually either begin with the pronoun “you” or contain it in an interrogative construction. For example, “Do you claim that...”, “Would you mind if...”, “Would you not deny that...”.
They are inevitable in any business conversation, but their predominance leads to the creation of a tense atmosphere, since it sharply narrows the “room for maneuver” for the partner, who may get the impression that he is being interrogated.
Usually they are asked not so much to obtain information as to obtain consent from the partner or confirmation of a previously reached agreement: “Could we meet tomorrow?” - "Certainly"; “Will the cargo arrive on Thursday?” - “No, on Saturday.”
Open question- this is a question that is difficult to answer briefly; it requires some kind of explanation, mental work. Such questions begin with the words “why”, “why”, “how”, “what are your proposals”, “what will be your decision regarding this”, etc., and this assumes a detailed answer in a free form. Open questions are asked in order to obtain additional information or find out the real motives and position of the interlocutor; they give him the opportunity to maneuver and express more extensively.
The main characteristics of this group of questions are:
- the partner is in an active state, as he must think about his answers and statements;
- the partner has the opportunity to choose at his own discretion what data, information and arguments to present to us;
- turning to your interlocutor with an open question helps to remove barriers and brings him out of a state of isolation and restraint;
- the partner (and this is the most important thing) becomes a valid source of information, ideas and proposals for the further development of cooperation.
However, open-ended questions allow the interlocutor to avoid a specific answer, provide only information that is beneficial to him, and even lead the conversation aside. Therefore, during a business conversation, it is recommended to ask leading, main, secondary and other types of questions.
Guiding Questions- questions formulated in such a way as to suggest to the interlocutor the answer expected from him.
Key questions- open or closed questions that are planned in advance.
Secondary or follow-up questions- planned or spontaneous, which are asked to clarify answers to basic questions.
Alternative question is something in between: it is asked in the form of an open question, but several pre-prepared answer options are offered. For example: “How did you decide to become a lawyer: did you consciously choose this specialty, followed in the footsteps of your parents, decided to join a friend, or don’t know why?”; “What do you think, when is it better for us to hold the next meeting: this week or will we postpone it to next?”
In order to get your interlocutor talking, you can try to use alternative questions, but it is important that none of the alternatives offend him. In order to somehow organize a conversation with an overly talkative interlocutor, it is better to use closed questions.
It is recommended to soften questions that may offend the interlocutor and formulate them in the form of an assumption. For example, instead of the question “Are you afraid of not being able to cope?” The recommended formulation is: “Could it be that some circumstances will prevent you from completing this work on time?”
You should not ask a question if you already know the answer. It is not recommended to start a question with the words: “Why don’t you...?” or “How could you...?” A truly intelligent question is a request for information, not a hidden accusation. If you are unhappy with your partner's decision or actions, try to tactfully but firmly tell him this in the form of a statement, but not in the form of a question.
Rhetorical questions do not require a direct answer and are asked in order to evoke one or another reaction from partners: to focus their attention, to enlist support from the participants business meeting, point out unresolved problems. For example: “Can we consider what happened as a normal phenomenon?”; “Do we have the same opinion on this issue?”; “When will people finally learn to understand each other?”
It is important to formulate rhetorical questions so that they are brief, relevant and understandable to everyone present. The silence received in response to them will mean approval of our point of view. But at the same time, one should be very careful not to slip into ordinary demagoguery and not find oneself in an uncomfortable or even funny position.
Crucial issues keep the conversation within strictly established limits or raise a whole range of new problems. In addition, they usually allow one to identify vulnerabilities in a partner’s position. Here are some examples: “How do you imagine the prospects for the development of your department?”; “What do you think: is it necessary to radically change the management system in large organizations?”
Similar questions are asked in cases where you want to switch to another problem or when you feel resistance from your partner. Such questions are fraught with danger, as they can upset the balance between the parties. The interlocutor may not be able to cope with the answer or, on the contrary, his answer will be so unexpected and strong that it will weaken the position and break the plans of the person asking.
Questions to Consider force the interlocutor to carefully analyze and comment on what was said. For example: “Did I manage to convince you of the need to reconsider the terms of the contract or do you think that we can cope with the current situation?”; “What measures can you take?”; “Did I understand your proposal correctly that...?”; “Do you think that...?”
The purpose of these questions is to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding, to summarize the intermediate and final results of the business conversation.
When answering a question like this:
- the interlocutor must consider the expressed opinion;
- a favorable atmosphere is created for argumentation based on a common approach to the problem;
- the interlocutor is given the opportunity to amend the stated position.
Mirror question consists of repeating with a questioning intonation part of the statement uttered by the interlocutor in order to force him to see his statement from the other side. This allows (without contradicting the interlocutor or refuting his statements) to optimize the conversation, to introduce new elements into it that give the dialogue genuine meaning and openness. This technique gives much better results than the cycle of “why?” questions, which usually cause a defensive reaction, excuses, searches for imaginary reasons, a dull alternation of accusations and self-justifications and, as a result, lead to conflict.
Security questions help control the partner’s attention, allow you to return to previous stages of work, and also check the understanding achieved.
It should be noted that control questions like “who, what?” are focused on facts, and the questions “how, why?” are more aimed at a person, his behavior, and inner world.
To the types of questions described above should be added the so-called trap questions, which the opponent can ask the initiator of communication. The latter must be able not only to ask questions correctly, but also to answer them, while taking into account the opponent’s goals. During the communication process, you should be prepared for the following types of trap questions.
Questions aimed at testing competence. The purpose of such questions is to assess the knowledge and experience of the initiator of communication. As a rule, the author of such a question already knows the answer, but wants to check how the presenter will cope with it. If you accurately recognize this type of question, you can politely ask: “Why are you asking a question to which you yourself know the answer?”
Questions designed to demonstrate your knowledge. The purpose of such questions is to show off your own competence and erudition to other participants in the conversation. This is one of the forms of self-affirmation, an attempt to earn the respect of a partner with a “smart” question. If the question really relates to a business meeting, then you can ask the questioner to answer it himself. When asking a question, your interlocutor is unlikely to expect such a request. After he finishes his answer, you can add to it.
Confusing questions have the goal of transferring the attention of the initiator of communication to the area of interest of the questioner, which lies aside from the main direction of work. These questions may be asked intentionally or unintentionally out of a desire to solve some of their own problems. The initiator of communication should not succumb to the temptation and stray away from the essence of the issue. It is better to suggest that this issue be considered at another time.
Provocative questions most often they try to catch the interlocutor in the contradiction between what he is saying now and what he said earlier.
If it so happens that you cannot justify such a contradiction, then it is better not to try to justify it. By defending yourself, you will convince other participants in the business meeting that the provocative remark is true. But even if you are right, and the inconsistency of your words has objective reasons (you can prove this), then you still should not use the opportunity to deal with the provocateur. Getting involved in a “showdown” is not the best best way gain the authority of those present. IN best case scenario After your victory, your opponent will drop out of work, at worst, he will look for an opportunity to take revenge later. Demonstrate that you are superior and invulnerable to such “injections” - and earn the respect of other participants in the business meeting.
Regardless of the type and nature of the questions, one should strictly adhere to the basic principle - answer the question only if its essence is completely clear.
It is a well-known truth: whoever asks the right question gets the right answer. Questions allow you to:
Direct the process of transferring information in a direction that corresponds to your plans and wishes;
Seize and hold the initiative in a conversation;
To activate the interlocutor in order to move from a monologue to a much more effective dialogue, from the point of view of transmitting information;
Express yourself to your interlocutor, show what he knows, and provide the information you need himself.
There are several groups of questions. Yugoslav psychologist P. Micic, for example, identifies the following types of questions:
"Closed Questions"- These are questions that can be answered “yes” or “no”. They lead to the creation of a tense atmosphere of conversation, since they sharply narrow the “room for maneuver” of your interlocutor.
"Open Questions"- These are questions that cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no” and require some kind of explanation. They usually begin with the words: “what”, “who”, “how”, “how much”, “why”, “what is your opinion”.
Such questions are asked when you need additional information or when you want to find out the real motives and position of the interlocutor.
Rhetorical questions serve for a deeper consideration of problems. These questions are not given direct answers, as their purpose is to raise new questions and point out unresolved problems or to gain support for your position from the participants in the conversation through tacit approval. For example: “Can we consider such phenomena normal?”, “After all, we share a common opinion on this issue?”
"Tipping Questions" keep the conversation on track or raise new issues. They are asked in cases where you have already received sufficient information on one problem and want to switch to another, or when you have felt the resistance of your interlocutor and are trying to overcome it.
If the interlocutor answers such questions, then the answers usually reveal the vulnerabilities of his position. For example: “Do you think it is necessary...”, “How is it really happening for you...”, “How do you imagine...”
Questions to Consider force the interlocutor to reflect, carefully consider and comment on what has been said. He is given the opportunity to amend the stated position. As a result, a favorable atmosphere is created based on a common approach to the problem. Examples of such questions: “Do you think that...”, “Did I understand your message (opinion) correctly that...”
At the beginning of the conversation Take the initiative and try to create a positive atmosphere through closed questions. In this case, you should only ask questions to which you are sure to receive affirmative answers. This will make it easier for you to get consent and gain the trust of your interlocutor.
Examples of “closed questions”: “Do you think you are ready...” - The likely answer is “yes.” “Would you be interested in...” - The likely answer is “yes.” - “In order to determine whether it is advisable for you to engage our company, some information is needed. May I ask you a few questions in this regard?” - The likely answer is “yes.”
At the next stage When the boundaries of areas of information transfer are expanded and opinions are exchanged, predominantly “open questions” should be asked.
After this comes verification stage information received. Rhetorical and thought-provoking questions predominate here.
At the end of the conversation When charting a new direction for information, use critical questions.
A more detailed classification of the interlocutors’ questions is given by the German psychologist N. Enkelman. Let us present this classification and indicate the technique recommended by this scientist for posing them, based on the fact that by asking a question, you already determine the type of answer.
Information questions. It's about collecting the information needed to get an idea about something. Information questions are always open questions. This means that the question concerns a specific subject or state of affairs, while the answerer, providing certain information, gives explanations.
Test questions. It is important to ask control questions during any conversation to find out whether the interlocutor is still listening to you, whether he understands you or is simply agreeing with you.
The simplest control questions are: “What do you think about this?”; “Do you think the same as me?”; “Don’t you think this is a worthwhile matter?”
By the reaction of your interlocutor, you will notice whether he is following your thought. If you are answering Security Question If you discover rejection or misunderstanding, you will have to go back a little.
Questions for orientation. They are asked to determine whether the interlocutor continues to adhere to a previously expressed opinion or previous intention.
The simplest questions of this type are: “Do you have any other questions about this topic?”; “What is your opinion on this point?”; “And what conclusions did you come to?”; “Do you understand what goal we are pursuing with this?”
Of course, after you have asked a question for orientation, you need to remain silent and allow the interlocutor to speak. Don't rush him.
He must concentrate, sort out his thoughts and express his judgment. By answering such a question, you will immediately understand for yourself what the interlocutor understood, whether he is ready to agree with your arguments.
Confirmation questions are asked to reach mutual understanding. The British are somewhat more prudent than others in this sense. Usually any conversation they have begins with an exchange of opinions about the weather. If unanimity is achieved on this issue, then it is much easier to move on to solving the following problems. In any conversation you need to intersperse confirming questions and always focus on what connects, and not on what divides, for example: “You are probably also glad that ...”, “If I’m not mistaken, you think , What..."
Introductory questions, as their name already implies, they should introduce you to the opinion of the interlocutor. Thus, these are also open questions that cannot be answered with a monosyllabic “yes” or “no”, for example: “Are you satisfied with...”, “What are your goals regarding...”
Counter questions. Although it is generally impolite to answer a question with a question, a counter-question is a clever psychological technique, for example: “How much does this trip cost?” Answer: “How many of them do you want to buy?” Questions of this kind lead to a gradual narrowing of the conversation and bring the interlocutor closer and closer to the moment when he will say the final “yes”.
Alternative questions. These questions provide the interviewee with a choice. Number possible options, however, should not exceed three. Alternative questions involve quick solutions. At the same time, the word “or” is most often the main component of the question: “Which day of the week suits you best: Monday or Tuesday?”, “What color interests you: yellow or red?”
Unipolar questions. This is just a repetition of your question by the interlocutor as a sign that he understands what you mean we're talking about. He repeats the question and only then gives the answer. The effect of asking this question is twofold: it gives you the impression that your question is well understood, and it gives the answerer the opportunity to think more carefully about their answer.
Certifying remarks. With your remark: “This is a very good question,” you make it clear to your interlocutor that he is asking smart questions and grasps the essence of the conversation well. Another possibility: “I’m glad you’re asking me this question.” Or: “The fact that you ask me this question proves that...”
If you want to fully demonstrate the art of conversation, you must insert validating remarks from time to time, because no one and nothing will please your interlocutor more than his own rightness.
Guiding questions. IN You can take control of the conversation and direct it in the direction that suits you best. Don't let your interlocutors force you into an undesirable direction of the conversation.
Provocative questions. To provoke means to challenge, to incite. Anyone who asks a provocative question should be aware that this is incitement. Meanwhile, such questions also need to be used in conversation to establish what your partner really wants and whether he correctly understands the state of affairs.
Examples: “Do you really think that your company will still be competitive in the next three years?”; “Are you sure that you can sell this product at this price for a long time?”
Questions opening negotiations, reports (introductory).
A well-posed question is a good start. Negotiating partners or listeners immediately become interested and a state of positive expectation arises.
Example: “If I could offer you a solution to an everyday production problem, would you give me seven minutes of your time?”
Concluding questions. The purpose of closing questions is to end the conversation. It is best to first ask one or two confirming questions, always accompanied by a friendly smile and, if possible, an approving nod of the head: “Was I able to convince you of the benefits of this proposal for your enterprise?”; “Have you seen how convenient it is to use?”; “Have you, as a specialist, noticed how well the equipment matches the decor in the room?” And then, without further transition, you can ask a closing question. Example: “Which installation date suits you more - November 15 or December 15?”
Techniques for answering questions from interlocutors.
The essence of this technique can be reduced to several fundamentally important rules:
1. Answer complex problematic questions if you have a thoughtful solution to this problem. If there is no such option, then it is better not to improvise, because it is very easy to get into trouble.
2. If the questioner uses negative, incorrect words or sentences in his question, then there is no need to repeat them when answering.
3. It is better not to answer provocative questions. Or turn the conversation to the questioner himself, or to the nature of the question.
4. The more emotional the question, the shorter the answer should be.
5. The more the questioner is filled with emotions, the calmer and more calmly you need to answer him.
Confucius
2.Communication process
The process of communication means communicating with other people in order to achieve understanding and a certain result. In order to motivate a person to action, we first convey information to him. For this we:
- we communicate in person;
- listen;
- we ask questions;
- we write letters;
- we prepare reports;
- We communicate on the phone.
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
This method of communication is often considered the simplest. The person you are talking to is in front of you, and you can explain to him what you want. If he doesn't understand you, then you should ask yourself:
- Is my vocabulary understandable to a person: do I speak simple Russian or use too many technical terms?
- maybe there's something in mine appearance prevents a person from understanding me? Personal communication is more than just talking to another person. There are three important aspects of communication:
- words - what we say;
- intonation - how we speak;
- gesticulation - how we look when talking. The advantages of personal communication are as follows:
- people can see what is being said;
- visual contact helps to understand how much the interlocutor listens to and understands us;
- Gestures help make speech more persuasive. However, at the same time, words, intonation and gestures can pose a certain danger in personal communication:
- you can reveal your true feelings;
- you may become too vulnerable;
- a person may not understand the words you use;
- Not everyone may like your way of pronouncing words.
To achieve success in personal communication, it is necessary to take into account all of the above factors. Remember that these are not just words. Understanding becomes possible through the interaction of all three factors of communication, that is, words, intonation and gestures. Through training, you can learn to achieve consistency in communication factors, achieving complete understanding on the part of the interlocutor.
2.2. LISTENING ABILITY
Communication is not a one-way process in which we simply communicate information. By communicating, we also receive information, and this process requires us to listen.
Listening means more than just hearing. We often “hear” only what we want to hear. Listening to your interlocutor is the other side of communication, and the same rules apply to it.
When we listen, we pass through the words, intonation and gestures of the interlocutor. To this we must add our own reactions, which make it clear to the interlocutor that we are listening to him carefully. These reactions include: facial expressions, smiling, head nodding and various remarks.
When you listen
- do it with full attention;
- do not make hasty guesses about what the interlocutor is going to tell you;
- Don’t waste time trying to formulate an answer while listening to someone else;
- looking into the eyes with an expression of keen interest in the words of the interlocutor, show that you are really listening to him attentively;
- When listening to your interlocutor on the phone, do not let what is happening in the room distract you;
- when talking on the phone, let the caller understand that you are listening to him attentively, from time to time saying: “So...”, “Yes...”, “Okay...”, etc.;
- take notes if necessary (for example, when communicating on the phone).
TECHNIQUES FOR ASKING QUESTIONS
When communicating with others, situations may arise when the information provided to you is not enough. If you need to know more or clarify what is being said, you ask questions.
Different types of questions are used in different circumstances. They are:
- open;
- closed;
- special.
Open-ended questions help you get as much information as possible. Who? When? What? Why? Where? - options for starting questions, the answers to which will provide you necessary information. An open-ended question cannot be answered with “yes” or “no.”
Closed questions require a yes or no answer.
"Can you...?" "Will you do...?" "Have you completed...?" Specific questions clarify the facts. Often used to find out some numbers, dates of birth, addresses, street names. These include, for example:
“Your address... (such and such)?”, “Is this number...?”
All questioning techniques help you understand what is being said to you. Remember that you can make the most correct decision only if you have the most complete information, and this is the main goal of communication.