How do you ask effective questions?

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Questions are such malleable creatures.  Some can be mystical, like, “Why are we all here?” Some can be practical, like, “What is causing that ceiling tile stain?” Some can be personal, like, “Why won’t anyone eat my gummy bear chocolate chip cookies?” Some can be professional, like, “When will we be able to get funding for a new chiller?” Some can be simple, like, “How do you boil water?” Finally, some can be complex, like, “Is a hot dog a sandwich?”

Much of our professional life is spent focused on questions, both asking and answering them. No matter how your work supports the optimization of the health care physical environment, your job involves observing discrete problems that need solutions and then progressing toward those solutions by answering a series of questions. The scientific, Socratic and systems methods of reasoning are all built from a foundation of questioning. If the question is, “How important of a power skill is it to know how to ask effective questions?” The answer is “very.”

What is a question?

The English word question comes from the Latin word “quaerere,” which means “to seek, to search, to strive for, to endeavor.” Like wanderers in the forest, questions are paths from darkness to light, from the unknown to the known. We seek insights, search for solutions, strive for enlightenment and endeavor to understand. Questions are a tool to make sense of a chaotic world and to navigate between that which is out of our control and that which is, if we have the courage and wisdom to seek to know the difference between the two.     

Alan Johnson, Ph.D., associate department chair of the forestry and environmental conservation department at Clemson (S.C.) University, provides a powerful heuristic to consider about the types of questions we ask. In his 2022 article, “The Art of Asking Good Questions,” Johnson breaks questions down into three types:

• Matters of fact. Questions resolved through the reference of established facts or disputed facts delivered with justification.
• Matters of judgement. Questions resolved by the precise definition of terms or the examination of concepts, values or reasoning.
• Matters of preference. Questions resolved by identifying and articulating universal or personal preferences.

Whether in our professional or personal life, understanding which type of question you are asking, or more importantly, is being asked of you by another, is a critical step in effective communication.

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We don’t have to look far (cough, cough, the internet, cough) to find spaces where questions on matters of preference are answered as if they are questions on matters of fact. If you are the person in a professional setting asking the question, your own understanding of whether the question is about matters of fact, judgment or preference will impact how to best interpret and guide the person you are speaking to toward your goal.

If you are the person in a professional setting having a question asked of you, understanding which type of question is being asked will help guide your follow-up questions and ensure that you are a successful partner in the communication loop. Asking your supervisor, your team or the board, what type of answer they are seeking in the response to their question (fact, judgement or preference) will provide an incredibly positive impression with the questioner, because you will avoid providing information that is superfluous to the response they are seeking.

What makes a great question?

Asking good questions in a professional setting will help you complete your tasks. Asking great questions and asking them consistently will help you advance in your career. So, what are the markers of a great question? A 2022 Masterclass article lays out three key criteria:

• Asked with clarity. Aim to eliminate or prevent any misunderstanding, confusion or ambiguity through your question’s word choice.
• Concise phrasing. Work to express your question as succinctly as possible to keep the attention of the person you are posing the question to on the specific piece of information you seek.
• Openness enabled. Provide the responder with the space to answer the question as they see fit — Open-ended questions vs. closed-ended questions.

You will know when you have asked a great question. The respondent will pause before answering and say, “Oohh, great question.”  They are not saying that to stroke your ego. Instead, they are using that time to formulate an answer worthy of the quality of the question. Great questions spark new avenues to traverse within a conversation, maps to discoveries, to deeper insights, to share personal anecdotes. Great questions close the distance between the question asker and answerer, making us feel more connected and less alone.

How do you form a great question?

Within organizations, great question askers will always attract attention. If that is your goal, there are many tactics you can utilize, for questions written or spoken.

• Ask about the problem, not the solution. In information technology circles, this is known as the XY problem. If your problem is convincing executive leadership to fund a deferred maintenance project, frame the question along the lines of, “How would you propose to keep patients safe when the chiller stops working?” rather than, “How can I convince you that it is important to replace the chiller?”
• Explain the context. Is your question urgent? Does it have wide-ranging implications? Is the stormwater literally at the door to the emergency department or is now the perfect opportunity to make sure it never gets there in the first place? Center the respondent in the specific time and place you want them to be when considering your question.
• Do your research. Even questions of preference and judgment have facts embedded within them. Illustrate to the respondent that you have done the work ahead of time to review documentation, research, etc., that can help inform their response. In the case of needing to replace a chiller, make sure you’ve already priced out labor and materials, downtime, etc., before you even start to speak to the executive leader you are trying to convince. Not only does this research show that you have already invested your time and effort toward solving this problem, but it also shows that you respect the value of the time and effort of the respondent.
• Consider your tone and nonverbal cues. Are you speaking from the diaphragm and with confidence when you are asking a question about capital expenditures? Are you asking a question with personal implications in a tone of voice that respects the confidentiality of the respondent? Are you looking someone in their eyes or are you staring at the floor? Your word choice is not the only important factor when it comes to asking great questions.

Why should I care if I ask great questions?

Communication is a dance — information we share and receive to which we then consider and respond. Your ability to ask great questions and your understanding of the mechanics of a great question is like dancing a tango instead of the funky chicken. Sure, both are dances, but one is a sweeping gesture of intensity and exchange of spirit between the participants, and the other is the tango.

But in all sincerity, we've all seen two participants as they guide each other across the dance floor with confidence and grace, turning a tango transcendent. The same is possible for a conversation filled with great questions. So do your research, take a deep breath, and ask that question that makes the listener smile as they say, “Ooohhh, great question!”       

Adam Bazer, MPD, senior director of thought product development, ASHE.