How to ask a good question

Some questions get you exactly what you need. Others get a vague reply or a puzzled look. The difference is rarely about intelligence. It is about how the question is put.

Do a little homework first#

Before you ask, try to find the answer yourself. Search, read or think it through. Then, when you do ask, you can say what you have tried. That shows you value the other person's time and gives them a place to start.

Be specific#

"Can you help me with my report?" is hard to answer. "I am stuck on the second section of my report, and I cannot decide whether to lead with the figures or the story. Which would you do?" is easy.

A specific question gets a specific answer. If you find yourself being vague, it often means you have not worked out what you are really asking.

Give context#

A short background helps people answer well: what you are trying to achieve, and why. Often the best answer is not to the question you asked, but to the problem behind it.

Ask one thing at a time#

A long list of questions in one message tends to get a partial answer. If you have several, number them, or ask the most important first.

Make it easy to reply#

• Keep it short.
• Put the question in the first line or the last.
• If a quick yes or no will do, say so.

Ask open questions when you want to learn#

For understanding people, questions that begin with "what" or "how" tend to draw out more than yes or no questions. "What was the hardest part?" gets a better answer than "Was it hard?"

Listen to the answer#

Finally, a good question is followed by a good silence. Give the other person room to think, and then listen. The most useful answers often come after a pause.

Asking well is a skill that improves with practice. It saves time for everyone and often leads to better conversations.