You Might Think You Know Everything You Need To Know

ByDorothy M. Neddermeyer Ph.D.

Here is the 911 you didn’t know you needed. Here is the nitty gritty. Here is the answer. “You might think you know everything You need to know”

When you think you know everything you need to know you are wrong. WHAT? Put yourself in the position of the other person or persons. The questions you ask are a direct view of your thoughts and the other person’s thoughts on the topic.

Questions reveal:

~Your priorities

~Your values

~Your curiosity level

~Your understanding, or lack thereof

~Your interests

~The driving force in their life and yours

~What excites you about the topic might also be what excites him/her.

~Building a foundation to deepen the conversation

~Last, but not least questions can prompt another conversation

There aren’t any stupid questions.

The psychology behind questions is that you are showing respect for the other person’s knowledge and expertise. Your questions build rapport for future conversations. Not to mention you might learn something you hadn’t thought about.

The circumstances and time available will determine what questions to ask. If you would like to continue the conversation at a later time, you can ask if she/he would like to meet sometime to continue the conversation via phone or zoom.

How to ask questions:

What makes a question great? There are different types of questions: 

  • Open-ended questions leave room for more discussion and compel more explanation.
  • Follow-up questions allow you to pursue your topic and expand your conversation.
  • Leading questions prompt a specific response and steer a conversation into more depth or a bigger picture. 

Asking better questions means you will…

  1. Be a good listener. When someone gives you an answer or explains something to you, pay full attention.
  2. Ask bold in-depth questions using one or all three types of questions as the conversation progresses.
  3. Dive into the subject, and go beyond surface-level questions. Ask for resources. Ask for more details.
  4. Allow the conversation to unfold. You can assist in tying up any loose ends with leading questions.
  5. Allow silence to your advantage to formulate your next question or make a confirming statement.
  6. Use short questions to avoid ambiguity or misunderstanding. Follow-up questions will provide an opportunity to close any gaps.
  7. Keep the sequence of the conversation well-focused.
  8. Use the tone that fits the topic. Topics and questions have different purposes and meanings behind them. Some are serious, while others are light-hearted and fun. It’s important to know when you need to have a professional, serious tone and when you can be casual. Although, depending on the people involved adding humor or light-hearted comments to make a point or bring cohesiveness into the equation is a good strategy.

The moral of the story is…Curiosity is your best friend along with asking questions. https://drdorothy.net