The Art of Asking Better Questions in Business Conversations

Research & Sources / Communication & Influence

Some questions are like doors. You ask them and a whole room opens up: stories, ideas, problems you did not know existed. Other questions are like walls. You ask them and get “yes”, “no” or “fine”, and the conversation stops. The difference between the two is often just a few words.

Wall questions

“Are you happy with your current supplier?” “Yes.”
“Is the project on track?” “Yes.”
“Do you have any questions?” “No.”

These are closed questions. They have their place, for example to confirm a fact. But in most business conversations they close more than they open. People give the easy, polite answer and move on.

Door questions

“What would you change about how things work today?”
“What is the hardest part of this project right now?”
“What would have to happen for this to be a success in a year?”

These open questions invite people to think and to tell you something real. They start with “what”, “how” or “tell me about”.

What research shows

Karen Huang, Alison Wood Brooks and colleagues analysed thousands of conversations and found that people who asked more questions were liked more by their partners. The strongest effect came from follow-up questions, the ones that build on what the other person just said.¹

Brooks and Leslie John summarised the research for business readers: most people ask too few questions, and the type, tone and order of questions shape what you learn and how the relationship develops.²

In sales, Neil Rackham’s large study of real sales calls showed that the most successful sellers in big deals asked more questions about problems and their consequences, and spent less time pitching.³

Four habits of good questioners

Follow up. The first answer is usually the surface. “Can you tell me more about that?” or “What does that mean for your team?” goes deeper.

Ask one question at a time. Stacking three questions in one breath lets people answer the easiest one.

Allow silence. After a good question, wait. The best answers often come after a pause that feels a little too long.

Avoid hidden advice. “Have you thought about hiring someone?” is advice disguised as a question. “What options have you considered?” is a real question.

Questions for tricky moments

• When someone disagrees: “What do you see that I might be missing?”
• When a meeting is stuck: “What would help us decide today?”
• When a client hesitates: “What would need to be true for this to feel right?”
• When someone brings a problem: “What have you tried so far?”

What this means for you this week

• In three conversations, ask at least two follow-up questions before sharing your own view.
• Rewrite three closed questions you often use into open ones.
• Count to five after asking an important question.
• Notice one thing you learned that you would not have heard otherwise.

You cannot walk through a wall. But you can always open a door.

Sources

1. Huang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J. & Gino, F. (2017). It doesn’t hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 430-452. doi.orgPeople who ask more questions, especially follow-up questions, are liked more by their conversation partners.
2. Brooks, A. W. & John, L. K. (2018). The Surprising Power of Questions. Harvard Business Review. hbr.orgHow the type, tone and sequence of questions shape learning and relationships in business conversations.
3. Rackham, N. (1988). SPIN Selling. Routledge (originally Gower). routledge.comThe Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-payoff question model for large sales.