Squiggly Skill Sprint Day 14: Questioning

It’s day 14 of the Squiggly Careers sprint, and today’s topic is Questioning https://www.amazingif.com/listen/skills-sprint-questioning/

Sometimes, conversations can be difficult. As I said in an earlier post in the sprint, being comfortable with silence is a great way to manage a conversation and let it flow naturally.

One of the tricks for conversations is to have some canned questions that you can lean on when needed. That way, you don’t have to think on your feet too much, and can use the proven techniques to keep things moving. For example, I have a note on my desk with 7 questions that I always try to bear in mind when running 1x1s or coaching sessions. Sometimes people can spot this, especially if they know you. I once absentmindedly started a coffee conversation with one of my coaching questions, and my friend spotted it immediately…

Helen and Sarah talk about in the podcast about open ended questions, so that the conversation doesn’t get shut down with a “yes” or a “no”. These serve the same function as conversational tricks, in that they keep the discussion flowing. You often see adverts for flashcards that help provoke thoughtful directions in conversation. I don’t think they are needed. Mostly you can just take a moment to think through the 5 W questions, and see where the gap is.