GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS
Communication
Question Appropriately
Used effectively, asking the right questions can:
- Provide information relating to both general and specific facts as well as personal and workplace beliefs and attitudes
- Provide clarification on points raised
- Can prompt further discussion to illicit additional information
- Can encourage information sharing
- Allows us to show interest in a person, group or situation
- Encourages a person to talk about the way they see things so you can understand their perceptions
Questioning is a skill that requires continual and ongoing development.
Knowing the various techniques and their appropriate application will enable you to gain control over your communication. This enables you to create and produce very effective strategies for obtaining acceptance for your message.
The trick is to keep your questions very simple and relevant. The number of questions required to obtain the information you want is crucial. Too many questions can result in loss of interest from the audience and suspicion of your intentions. This is not good for rapport.
Planning the type of information you need will prevent excessive questioning and allow maximum detail to be obtained. Ask questions of yourself to ascertain the relevance of what you need to know:
What am I trying to achieve? What is the purpose of that question? How am I going to achieve the desired result? Who am I going to talk to? What do I want from them? What is the overall impression I want to create?
Your answers to these questions will be what guides you and shapes everything about your communication from the moment you make that first contact. It's worth putting time into careful consideration of what you ask, as it will influence the final results.
Types of Questions
Open Questions:
What, Who, How, Why, When, Where, Which
Purpose: To gain detail, explore options, and encourage information sharing Asking questions that require detailed answers provides a wealth of information we can use and draw on later. Their purpose is to prevent us from asking ongoing single answer questions.
Closed Questions:
Can, Could, Was, Would, Is, Have, Are
Closed questions can be equally effective in gaining control of a conversation. Asking a question requiring a yes/no/ or single word answer can prevent too much detail being offered. It is also a great way to get confirmation of a point. They are great for establishing facts and to force a response.
Closed: Do most people drive their cars to work? Designed to establish level of car usage only? Answer will be short and not very helpful - yes, no, mostly, a lot do, some don't.
Open: What types of transport, are you aware of, that people use to get to work? Designed to illicit detail about level of knowledge regarding transport preferences in the workplace.
A lot of people drive but we have a good tram route leading to the city so some prefer to not have the hassle of parking. There's also a few fitness buffs who ride in - don't know how they do it really.
This answer provides insight into attitude toward alternative transport modes. It opens up not only detail but where the speaker's opinions may be placed. It offers an opportunity for you to encourage more conversation to go even further into their perceptions.
Reflective Questions
Reflective questions summarise what you believe has been stated. They reflect back and paraphrase the main points made by person.
Reflective: 'So what you feel is that the relocation of your workplace would possibly create opportunities for staff to be open to ideas. Is that Correct?
The trick is not to mistake reflective questions with directive ones. Directive questions focus on desired outcomes. The risk is that the person will answer in the way they think is correct. The danger of this technique is that your thoughts will be adopted. For ownership of ideas to occur, the person not the questioner must generate correct answers.
Advanced questioning skills draw on your ability to identify opportunities to question a person's belief. This is a skill that requires practice but is extremely useful for handling resistance and objections. It requires careful probing and the artful use of language.
If we examine common points of resistance:
There aren't any alternatives to the car
What this may mean: At the moment it's just not possible for me not to use my car.
Possible Probing: Can you imagine any times when there are opportunities- Perhaps on days when-(.the children are on school holidays/You are at meetings elsewhere)
Ideas: Can you see any difficulties in trying...(appropriate option relevant to their circumstances)
Other probing options;
If you could work from home..... What do you think this would require? ..Can you imagine times when this could be an option if these requirements could be met?
Such resistance issues/objections tend to result from perceptions. Careful listening and questioning of those perceptions can help you gain tremendous opportunities for tailoring your messages when it comes to marketing the final TravelSmart strategies. Often there are other reasons behind the resistance, probing will allow you know exactly where the difficulty may lie.
Vocal Techniques
Awareness of your voice and how it comes across to others is essential. This is not always comfortable as we tend to be our own worst critics. It is, however necessary if you are to maximize the impact of your messages. As already stated in discussions on rapport, the voice plays a major role in how you will be perceived by others.
Vocal Quality consists of appropriate:
Speed
Average speed of the spoken word is best received at approximately 150 words per minute. Locate a passage of written work and time yourself.
Tone
It's not what you say but how you say it that will have impact. Check for friendliness - not too severe/cold or too sugary sweet Aim for a natural tone that invites the opinion of others, not patronizing or condescending. Testing your tone will require feedback from others and/or taping your voice.
Clarity
Speak clearly by not mumbling or shortening the end of your words. Annunciate the full word.
Modulation
Add colour to your voice by varying the pitch. Avoid sing song or flat delivery. Once again, feedback from others or taping is the only way to get a good indication if your style is appropriate.
Volume
Speak up. A quiet voice lacks confidence and will distract from your message. A loud voice can sound authoritarian and dominate. Find the balance through appropriate feedback.
Repeated Words
'Actually', 'In light of,' 'great'
Gain a conscious awareness of your vocal habits. Words constantly repeated at the start, middle and end of sentences can be very distracting. This will be heightened if you are nervous.
Turn Off Phrases Yeah, yep, umm, nope The occasional slip up is fine. Constant usage is distracting and annoying. It can reflect an inappropriate casualness to some listeners.
Remember: The voice is affected by emotion and your general feelings on the day. It is normal and acceptable to be nervous, especially when starting out. However, knowing this, you have the perfect opportunity to adjust your voice. If you know you tend to be quiet when delivering information, adjust and apply vocal qualities appropriate to the occasion. You can control your voice but to do so requires awareness. Don't forget to include the smile. Sounds corny but many a message has been positively amplified and accepted by a smile. It has the ability to relax people and increase their trust in you.