Questioning Skills to Improve Work Performance

Questioning Skills at work

Introduction

Questioning is a communication act were a person asks a question in a formal or informal way, expecting to get an answer or information required. Asking questions is one of the common tools of communication hence skilful questioning can be an effective way for initiating, supporting and direct conversation. In a professional environment an effective questioning skill is important for any worker as it may result to a better work performance. There are several types of questions which individuals can use to get information they need. These can be in the form of open/closed questions, leading questions, process/recall, probing and multiple questions. Questioning helps people to get more knowledge, information and new ideas. For an example, through creative use of questions coaches/teachers improve high level thinking skills in their scholars,. They can stress a point and stimulate curiosity in a subject. Questions can be simple if they search for a clear fact or there can be complex questions that look deep into the notions, beliefs and understanding (Hargie, 2006).

Figure 1 (Louis, 2009)

Good questioning skills could result in a better performance at work for an individual; as mentioned before questioning increase information, skills of an individual and most importantly questioning is driven by having uncertainty, interest, astonishment, confusion, doubt or recognition of a need. The question may provide answers that solves the learning need or may lead to further questions as knowledge and understanding grows. In this discussion there are several reasons as to why good questioning skills enable an individual to perform better at work have been discussed. Good questioning skills enable individuals in learning, building relationships, managing and coaching, avoiding misunderstanding, defusing heated situations, persuading people, etc.

* Learning

Questioning is good for learning. Through asking questions to others...