Open questions – why do they work and when do they work best?

Open questions – the brainy argument

Open questions – how do they work, why do they work, and when do they work best? (see, there’s a couple of open questions right there already!)

Examples of open questions in business:

• What opportunities do you see upon your horizon?
• Why are you dissatisfied with your existing suppliers?
• How will you be measuring the success of these projects?
• Describe what is most important to you
• If we were to work together, what are the three most important outcomes you would like to see?

So, let’s have a quick look at the theory and how to put it into practise.

2 key points

1. How do they work?

We love to buy, but hate to be sold to

This observation draws upon 3 different areas of the brain:

• THINK/FEEL/KNOW – the brain is divided into 3 sections;
  • the cortex =THINK (process, structure, logic),
  • limbic = FEEL (emotions, connect or disconnect),
  • basal = KNOW (subconscious;e.g. a baby crying)
• It takes 32 repetitions to pass from the THINK to the FEEL (instinctive) stage of a process
• When buying, it is necessary to move a person from THINK to FEEL (hence the old adage, “People love to buy but hate to be sold to”)
• Peak performance happens in the KNOW (subconscious) stage
• Open questions are vital to this emotional transition

2. Why do they work?

Soft Skills = Hard Sales

Just how do you get people to that FEELING, or emotional state?

Most theories agree there are 4 core personality types, albeit with different names depending upon the model used: 

• Behavioural Matrix – Controller, Promoter, Supporter, Analyst
• DISC – Dominance, Influence, Supporter, Conscientious
• Hartman Personality Profile – Red, Yellow, White (or Green), Blue

However, all these personality models use a quadrant approach, splitting people into one of 4 types.

Taking each personality type in turn:

1. Controller/Dominance/Red – Formal = decisive, makes very quick decisions 

HOW TO DO BUSINESS: Business first = Impatient.

Be confident and to the point / fast-paced thinkers and formal, great to bounce ideas off

OPEN Q’s TO USE = stress your competitive advantage

“Where do your current suppliers fall short of your expectations?”

2. Promoter/Influence/White or Green – Dominant, Informal = fun, creative, doesn’t analyse

HOW TO DO BUSINESS: Chat first = Relaxed, peaceful.

Develop trust & rapport as they are slower-paced thinkers, don’t be abrupt, don’t over-exaggerate / often act as facilitators for faster-paced (Red, Yellow)

OPEN Q’s TO USE = emphasise relationships

What qualities in a business relationship are most important to you?

3. Supporter/Supporter/Yellow – Easy Going, Informal = touchy-feely, loves to help

HOW TO DO BUSINESS: Socialise before business = Fun.

Very imaginative and high energy / fast-paced thinkers but informal, use humour

Note: 80% of people reckon they are supporters!

OPEN Q’s TO USE = pitch a vision

“If you could fast-forward 12 months, what would ‘success’ look like?”

4 Analyst/Conscientious/Blue – Easy Going, Formal = relies upon facts, takes time to make decisions

HOW TO DO BUSINESS: Be on time and formal = Perfectionists.

They love detail and asking questions / like to think things through logically for the most suitable solution

OPEN Q’s TO USE = talk about detail

“What % increase in sales would you be looking for from our service?”

Conclusion

The theory goes that ‘Attitude’ (who you are) precedes ‘Behaviour’ (how you act)

So, by knowing yourself you can change your actions to suit the circumstances and to ‘talk the other person’s language’.

That’s to say, you need to adapt your questions to the person seated in front of you.

Yes or no? (that’s a closed question by the way!)

Related topics: Soft Skills for Strong Leaders book

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