And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.”
Mark 11:29-30
Jesus was a “Master Asker.” In the book Jesus is the Question, Martin Copenhagen noted that Jesus asked 307 questions of His audiences, but only answered 3. Socrates, too, was known for his ability to sit in the city square and teach by asking questions. Great communicators know how to capture an audience’s attention using the powers inherent within a question. Whether you are speaking to a large room or an audience of one, the use of a question at the right time, asked in the right way, produces powerful results. In my book PERSUADE, there is an entire chapter called “The Law of Discovery” dedicated to questions. Here are a few powers inherent within a question:
- Questions create the emotional impact of pulling people toward you during conversation; statements push them away.
- The person asking the questions sets the direction of the conversation.
- A question is like a spoon, able to dig deep into the heart of an issue and unearth that which is hidden.
- Good questions, when asked the right way, have the ability to create an atmosphere of discovery and a sense of wonder.
- Questions “make people think” and create a healthy “pause” in the conversation.
- Questions are a powerful tool when asking for feedback.
Leaders are Socratic in their communication. Try changing your “talk track” to more asking than telling and see what happens. When you want to impress someone, talk about yourself, but when you want to connect with them, ask about them. Whether you are lead- ing a meeting, talking with a coworker, conducting a performance review, or speaking from a platform, questions, when used the right way, draw people toward you.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- Have you ever developed a series of questions in order to lead yourself to a decision?
- Whom do you know that is a master at setting and directing a conversation; how do they do it?
- Have you met the 5 “W Brothers”: Who, What, When, Where, Why?
Influence is often created more by what you ask than what you say.
