One of my younger sisters asked a lot of questions when she was a little girl, so many questions that my other sisters and I asked our mother, “Why does she ask so many questions?” If you know any young children, you know that they ask a LOT of questions. Children are curious and trying to make sense of their world, and questioning is an important part of their development. Likewise, questioning is fundamental to consultants’ work, and consultants who want to be most helpful to their clients strive to become masterful questioners.
What is a masterful questioner?
Masterful questioners are those whose questions are purposeful and appropriate to the situation or context and help clients achieve outcomes. This doesn’t mean that masterful questioners always ask the perfect question. Instead, they use what they know about the client and the context to ask a question that will encourage the client to think more deeply about their beliefs, ideas, goals, or actions. The questions can be as simple as, “What else can you tell me about that?” or “What are some other ways to think about…?” Such questions help clients tap into their own knowledge and experience to clarify their understanding of an issue and identify possible solutions.
What do masterful questioners do?
Masterful questioners understand the “human” part of questioning. They know that asking a question is an interaction. Like all interactions, questioning has consequences for the relationship between the consultant and the client and for the work they do together. Masterful questioners are mindful of trust when they ask questions, making sure that their questions come from a place of honest concern for the client’s best interests. They frame questions in ways that create a psychologically safe environment for the client to respond and show respect for the client by:
- Providing options when asking questions rather than leading clients to a specific answer
- Asking open-ended questions that allow the client to interpret events from their perspective rather than providing the consultant’s interpretation of what the client said
- Remaining silent while clients are speaking, giving them time to finish their thought before responding or asking another question
- Seeking permission to redirect the conversation when the client goes off-track
- Phrasing questions in ways that encourage the client to expand their thinking rather than defend it
(Aguilar, 2013; Stoltzfus, 2008)
Masterful questioners know that different forms of questions have different purposes (Franklin, 2019). Why questions usually ask for justification, How questions ask for a description or method, and What questions prompt responders to think about something in a new way and go into more depth. Consultants should use caution when asking Why questions because they can make clients feel they need to defend their feelings, actions, or decisions. This can be avoided by asking What or How questions.
| Why Questions | How Questions | What Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Produce reasons or justification | Produce description or method | Promote deeper thinking and new perspectives |
| Why did you select this strategy? | How did you select this strategy? | What do you hope is possible when this strategy succeeds? |
At its core, masterful questioning is about helping clients think, reflect, explore beliefs, make decisions, or take actions to achieve the outcomes that matter to them. Masterful questioners know how to make the most of questioning by asking the right question, at the right time, in the right way.
We created our “Human Side of Questioning” tool to help you become a masterful questioner. This tool provides examples of ways that masterful questioners show respect for clients and helps consultants think about the effects of their questions on responders.
References
Aguilar, E. (2013). The art of coaching: Effective strategies for school transformation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Stoltzfus, T. (2008). Coaching questions: A coach’s guide to powerful asking skills. Virginia Beach, VA: Pegasus Creative Arts.
Franklin, M. (2019). The heart of laser-focused coaching. Wilmington, DE: Thomas Noble Books.
