Probing Questions to Improve Communication (With Examples)

Asking questions is an important part of good communication. Effective communication involves the exchange of information, as well as confirming that the recipient has understood it. Learning how to develop your questioning ability can provide better comprehension, encourage analytical thinking and resolve misunderstandings. In this article, we discuss the importance of solid questioning skills, the definition of a probing question, and 11 specific examples you can use for more effective communication.
Why are questioning skills important?

Asking thought-provoking and well-formed questions is an essential skill you use daily in your personal and professional life. Developing your questioning skills is a necessary part of successful career development. Learning to ask the right questions at the right time can open up opportunities. It can show your employer that you have other essential competencies, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills.Read more: Important Types of Questioning Techniques (With Examples)The art and skill of asking questions is a body of knowledge valued in all careers and positions. There are several types of questions that you use in everyday communication without being aware. But when you can harness the power of using specific questions in professional situations, you’ll be able to gather valuable information and control the trajectory of the conversation.There are two distinct types of questions, close-ended and open-ended. Closed-ended questions elicit a typical “yes” or “no” response or another short, one-word answer. There are also open-ended questions, which require a detailed explanation that the individual can’t answer with one word. Within those two primary groups, there are other varieties, including leading questions, pointed questions and rhetorical questions. One of the most impactful kinds of queries is a probing question.Read more: Open-Ended vs. Close-Ended Questions (With Examples)

What is a probing question?

A probing question sparks deep thought and detailed responses. An open-ended question supports deeper comprehension for both the person asking and the one answering. By asking a probing question, you encourage the receiver to explore their personal feelings and ideas about a specific topic. The answer requires critical and creative thinking.

Is a clarifying question the same as a probing question?

Although you often use clarifying questions and probing questions together, they provide different functions during a conversation. A clarifying question is typically closed-ended or requires minimal description. You use it to clarify that both the sender and receiver understand the information. By comparison, a clarifying question is factual and direct. You can also use clarifying questions to gather or confirm short, objective answers. Several examples of clarifying questions include:

• Did I summarize what you said correctly?
• Is this what you said?
• Who authorized that action?
• When did that take place?
• What criteria did you use?

Related: A Guide to Effective Group Communication (With Tips)

When can you use probing questions?

You can use a probing question anytime you want more detailed information about what someone thinks or feels. Probing questions are typically not used to clarify information or to check on the receiver’s understanding. For these situations, you would use a clarifying question to confirm your comprehension.Related: 7 Ways to Communicate Effectively (Plus Benefits and Tips)There are many places where using probing questions benefits effective communication, learning and understanding, such as:

• After completing a presentation to understand the participant’s key takeaways
• When training a colleague on a new procedure to understand how they’d adapt the information to their position
• When speaking with someone and you feel they are omitting details
• During a brainstorming session to encourage critical and creative thinking and problem-solving for new ideas
• When mentoring an employee to understand their thought process about planning an upcoming project
• During a client meeting to assess their needs and understand their organization’s vision
• When speaking with someone, you want to ensure you fully understand their story

Related: A Guide to Promoting Effective Workplace Communications

Examples of probing questions

Here are 11 real-world examples of probing questions you can use to develop your questioning skills:

1. What was your intention?

Asking this question provides insight into the individual’s reasoning. For example, you can ask this question to an employee who has not followed proper company procedures. It helps you understand why they disregarded policy. If you want to learn why a coworker’s filing process didn’t go as planned, asking this question can help them analyze what went wrong and make improvements.

2. Do you feel that’s right?

Asking this probing question requires the person answering to evaluate their conclusions or feelings about a situation or event. It can provide insight into the individual’s ethics and judgement. For example, you may use this question when conducting a workshop on inclusion and diversity in the workplace. It can allow for self-reflection and assessment of unconscious bias. You can also use this question to help a colleague think critically about a solution they are proposing.

3. What are the pros and cons of the situation?

By asking someone to identify the pros and cons of a situation, you encourage analytical thought and reasoning. The person answering the question must evaluate potential outcomes and weigh the positive and negative consequences. This is also a helpful question for someone who seems focused on one perspective. Ask this question to support someone making a significant decision, like a change of career. Or you can use it when brainstorming with coworkers about a specific project to complete an informal risk analysis.Related: Considerations Before Answering “Should I Quit My Job?”

4. How did you come to this conclusion?

This is a clever question for improving someone’s critical thinking and analytical skills. It asks the individual to consider their criteria when making a decision or coming to a conclusion. As the person asking, it gives you insight into their reasoning and thought process. You can ask this probing question to reverse-engineer a process or when evaluating subconscious patterns.

5. Why do you think that is?

Because this probing question starts with “why,” you can automatically expect an answer focusing on experiences, feelings or conclusions. You can use this question to uncover an individual’s opinions and beliefs. For example, ask this question during an interview to discover a candidate’s characteristics and qualities. You can also use this question when helping a colleague resolve a conflict to provide an opportunity for self-reflection.

6. How do you know this to be true?

People often come to conclusions without reviewing all the relevant facts. Asking this probing question identifies any barriers to critical thinking and perspective. For example, you can ask this question as a human resources professional. It’s valuable when handling an employee complaint about a coworker to ensure you fully understand the circumstance. Or you can use this question to promote analytical thinking when drawing conclusions about a project or initiative.

7. What does this remind you of?

This probing question offers the opportunity for comparison. The comparison allows you to make connections, and by providing contrast, the question encourages creative and critical thinking. Ask this probing question during a team meeting when discussing a current challenge to develop a fresh approach. Or, ask this question during a training session with a colleague to help them understand the connection to something they already know. Another similar question is, “what is the connection between these two things?”

8. What impact do you think this will have?

Asking this probing question encourages the person answering it to provide a prediction. This encourages critical and creative thought and analytical skills to come to a conclusion. You can ask this question when discussing options within a project or mentoring an employee to look ahead to possible outcomes. Another similar question is, “What is your prediction?”Related: How to Make a Hard Decision at Work (6 Steps and Examples)

9. What would need to change for you to accomplish this?

This question encourages self-reflection by the person answering it. Growth and development require change, and asking this question allows the individual to identify sacrifices that need to be made to accomplish something. It is an impactful question when working through performance or productivity issues with employees. You can ask this question when helping colleagues work through the goal-setting process.

10. What other information do you need to understand further?

Asking what other information a person needs supports their learning process and encourages them to ask questions in return. It requires the person answering to evaluate their level of understanding and identify missing pieces of information that they still need. It is a powerful question to use when training or teaching someone a new process or system. You can also ask this question to a customer to ensure they have everything they need to make an informed decision.

11. What do you think is at the root of the problem?

Posing this question requires deep thought about the problem’s cause. It requires critical and creative thinking and problem-solving and applies reverse engineering. You can use this question while analyzing an ongoing challenge within an organization. It is also useful when supporting someone trying to work through a misunderstanding with a coworker.

Source:
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