Video #5 – Asking Effective Questions
How to Ask Effective Questions
Having had opportunities to interact more in casual settings, you begin to really know the person. These activities are meant to facilitate opportunities for relationships to grow and develop. There is no need to rush this. It’s not about information, but about knowing. Learn how to ask effective questions! It will help you know the heart of the person you are with.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions help draw out more thoughts and allows the person to express themselves leading the conversation with you, as opposed to being interrogated.
Try questions like this:
“What do you think led you to that conclusion?”
“I’ve never heard that quote before, what do you know about the person you are quoting? Tell me more.”
“Where do you think your love for football came from?”
Ask Questions About Motives
Learn about why. There are general questions that you can begin with and can be doorways to dig deeper. There can be something interesting, alarming or nothing out of the ordinary. However, when we learn to navigate from information to motivation we know the person more. “So great that you spent time researching organic food delivery! Why do you like it so much?”
This also helps with contextualizing your own faith and spirituality to the person. This allows you to learn their values and help you communicate effectively.
Ask Questions That Show Interest
People want to be known. Ask questions that show interest in their unique qualities and values. People will know when you are using them as a means to an end. Pay attention to the person, and notice details. Be thoughtful, and show that you care about who they are.