Guidelines in Using Questions
Both clients and interviewers sometimes have strong reactions to questions. To optimize your use of questions, keep in mind the following ?ve guidelines: Prepare your clients for questions.
Prepare Your Clients for Questions
A simple technique that reduces negative fallout from questioning is to forewarn and prepare your client for intensive questioning. This often helps clients feel less defensive and more cooperative. You can forewarn clients by saying: “I need some speci?c information from you. So, for a while, I’ll be asking you some questions to help me get that information. Some of the questions may seem odd or may not make much sense to you, but I promise, there’s a reason behind my questions.” Do Not Use Questions as Your Predominant Listening or Action Response Questions should always be used in combination with other listening responses, especially nondirective listening responses. Be sure to follow your client’s response to your query, at least occasionally, with a listening response: Interviewer: “What happened when you ?rst stepped onto the subway?” Client: “When I stepped inside the train, I felt my heart begin to pound. I thought I was going to die. I just held onto the metal post as hard as I could because I was afraid I would fall over and be humiliated. Then I got off the train at my stop and I’ve never been back on the subway again.” Interviewer: “So that was a pretty frightening experience for you. You were doing about everything you could to stay in control. Was anyone with you when you went through this panicky experience?” Unless a variety of sensitive listening responses are used in combination with repeated questions, clients are likely to feel bombarded or interrogated .
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
0 comments ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment