Asking open-ended questions is a great way to encourage conversation and gain deeper insights into others’ thoughts and feelings. Here are some easy ways to frame open-ended questions:
1. Start with ‘What’, ‘How’, ‘Why’, ‘Where’, ‘When’, or ‘Who’: These words naturally lead to more detailed responses.
• “What do you think about the new project?”
• “How do you usually approach these situations?”
• “Why do you think that happened?”
• “Where would you like to go for our next team outing?”
• “When did you start feeling this way?”
• “Who do you look up to in your field?”
2. Avoid Yes/No Questions: Reframe questions so that they can’t be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
• Instead of “Did you like the movie?”, ask “What did you think about the movie?”
3. Ask for Opinions or Feelings: People generally like to share their perspectives and feelings.
• “What’s your opinion on…?”
• “How do you feel about…?”
4. Encourage Storytelling: Ask questions that prompt people to share experiences or stories.
• “Can you tell me about a time when you felt most challenged at work?”
5. Ask for Explanations or Reasons: This encourages deeper thinking and detailed responses.
• “Can you explain how that works?”
• “What led you to that conclusion?”
6. Follow-Up Questions: Based on their responses, ask additional questions to delve deeper.
• “You mentioned XYZ, can you tell me more about that?”
By asking open-ended questions in these ways, you encourage a more engaging and meaningful conversation.
