Time management skills: Asking the right questions

Our little secret

As those with good time management skills will know, it's not about creating more time, but how we manage ourselves in the time we have. Therefore if you are looking for answers, it is worth investing some time in asking the right questions first.

Asking good questions involves:

Planning

Take some time to work out the best question to ask to get the best possible answer. Remember a high quality question usually leads to a high quality answer.

Appropriate direction

Is your question clear, short and is your style and language understandable? You wouldn’t ask a kindergarten class a question in the way you would to a senior manager. If in doubt it's a good idea to err towards simplicity.

Integrity

Are you hiding anything? Sometimes we have hidden agendas and don’t really speak the whole truth. This can often come across in our non-verbal language and influence the outcome. If the other person has any doubts about our intention or integrity, the result is often a similarly guarded response.

Now here are some tips on how to really listen for good answers:

Create the space

Do you stop and give some space for the other person to answer? Silence might be golden, but it is also necessary for an answer to be heard. If you’ve asked a question, then shut up and wait for the answer.

Fully listen

...to everything the other person has to say before you prepare your answer. Often we will only partly listening to what is being said because we’re already thinking about what to say next. Instead, actively listen to everything that is being said and then formulate your response.

Clarify what you have heard

Ensure you have understood the meaning of the answer. You can do this by repeating back to the person what you have heard them say and then finish by stating “So tell me if I have got it right. What you mean is……..”

Here’s another question……What one question could you ask that would rocket you towards your business goals?

John Raymond is a coach and trainer who helps people manage people. His aim is that his work will help you to love your work and those important people around you will love the way you work too.

2 comments | Add your own

Thanks, John. for yet another great article. It's all about caring enough about the other person's situation to take the time and listen properly, isn't it ? Otherwise, as you say, our integrity is at risk and if that's lost, it's 'game over' ! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
thanks for your comments Grant. I think just a little time spent thinking about the other person and how they would like to be communicated to and with will go a long way to remedy the fact that poor communication is still one of the biggest issues in business today John Raymond from Sydney | Read my articles

2 comments | Add your own

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