The Role of Listening in Asking the Right Questions

This Element is an excerpt from The Art of Asking: Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers (9780137144242) by Terry J. Fadem. Available in print and digital formats.

It’s not just what you ask: It’s what they hear! Master listening techniques that’ll help you recognize what they’re really hearing when you ask your question.

Half of asking any question is how it is received and perceived, and whether it has had the intended impact. Answers alone aren’t a full indication that you have communicated effectively. There are two additional factors: how the question was heard and what you do with the answer. What was heard is key, and managers are sometimes completely unaware of this....