Leaders should spend a lot of time asking questions and providing answers. To ask effective questions, it is important to know about the different types of questions.

Open Questions

These are broad, general questions that require a conversation partner to provide more than just a “yes” or “no” answer. They also permit the other person to decide how much information to give.

Open questions can do the following:

• Give more information
• Encourage a conversation partner to speak openly
• Encourage people to share opinions and ideas
• Help determine if people have accurately interpreted what we say

Closed Questions

Closed questions can typically be answered with one or two words, such as “yes” or “no.” While they can help wrap up a conversation or confirm specific details, they often do not foster deeper discussions or elicit more comprehensive information.

Advantages of Closed Questions:

• They provide control over the questions and the types of responses received.
• They are straightforward to interpret, allowing for efficiency in communication.

However, closed questions limit the opportunity for detailed explanations and do not allow individuals to express their feelings about a situation. To promote more meaningful dialogue or encourage someone who is frustrated to share openly, it’s best to avoid closed questions.

Here are some examples of closed questions:

• “Does this make you angry?”
• “Do you think that meeting was fun?”

To make those same questions open, try these statements:

• “Please explain how you feel about this situation.”
• “Tell me how you feel about this meeting.”