THE USE OF QUESTIONS

CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT CAN BE ANSWERED WITH ONE TO TWO WORDS OR CAN BE ANSWERED WITH A YES OR NO. THEY USUALLY START WITH DO, DOES, IS, ARE, HAVE CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS ARE USED TO OBTAIN SPECIFIC INFORMATION. (WHERE ARE YOU EMPLOYED?) TRY TO REFRAIN FROM ASKING TOO MANY CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS (PASSIVE HELPEE)

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ARE USED TO HELP THE CONSUMER OPEN UP AND ELABORATE. OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS USUALLY BEGIN WITH: COULD, CAN, HOW, WHAT, AND SOMETIMES WHY (CAREFUL). THE BEST QUESTIONS TEND TO BE MORE OPEN-ENDED

IMPORTANT REMINDERS!!! QUESTIONS CAN BE OVER DONE. BE CAREFUL NOT TO ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS. BE CAREFUL NOT TO ASK RUN-ON QUESTIONS. BE SENSITIVE TO CULTURE WHEN ASKING QUESTIONS. STAY AWAY FROM LEADING QUESTIONS (DON’T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD…; DO YOU REALLY WANT TO…; ARE YOU REALLY SURE THAT…)-DISGUISED ADVICE GIVING AND CAN BE CONSTRUED AS IMPOSING VALUES OTHER CLARIFICATION SKILLS TEND TO BE MORE HELPFUL (PARAPHRASING, REFLECTION OF FEELING, SUMMARIZATION)- THE WORKER IS SEEN AS BEING MORE EMPATHETIC.