Monday, February 20, 2012

Asking Better Questions

I was inspired by a post by Joan Eisenstodt on the "Meetings Focus Blog" about asking better questions.

The article was focused on asking better questions for selecting venues or other vendors in the meetings industry, but her point is universal.  People often ask vague questions with the hope of specific answers.  

On the flip side, those answering are just as guilty, as when we hear a question and do not seek clarification on the detailed needs of the person doing the asking, what use is our off-the-cuff response?.

Our society has become very superficial and there is always a rush to take action and make decisions (in what to ask, how to answer, forming opinions, etc....). Joan's thoughts in this post are correct about the need for including specifics up front (at the initial question) or an answer without any meat will follow.  

Additionally we should all learn dig deeper before projecting our answers.  Without really knowing all the details, our opinions can be useless.  We all encounter people who believe they are providing value to others, but are really just spewing useless information because they do not understand the big picture.

Taking just a few minutes to clarify a question, or to seek more facts before answering could make for better communications.

Have A Great Day.

thom singer


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