On Saturday morning, September 23, 2024, AWiBers started the day with the seminar on the Art of Questioning by Bethlehem Hailu, Membership Relations Manager at AWiB. Bethlehem started the session with introductions and discussing how asking questions is viewed in our culture. She discussed why questioning is important and how it helps us avoid making assumptions that lead us to wrong conclusions and bad decision-making. 

Bethlehem discussed the types of questions and the techniques of posing questions. Participants actively practiced what they learned by pairing up in groups of four, telling different stories and asking questions from the storyteller. From this activity they learned that asking questions will help them understand the context of the story, learn more about the storyteller and reflect on their own experiences regarding the topic. 

Bethlehem concluded the session by asking participants to reflect on how they viewed the session, what they gained from it, and how they can encourage themselves and others to ask questions so they gain more clarity in their lives. 

Key Points

• Types of questions include open-ended, closed-ended, probing, leading, rhetorical, clarifying and hypothetical 
• Techniques of questioning include
  • Understanding the importance of questioning
  • Knowing the intent and identifying types of questions to ask
  • Active listening, feedback and reflection
  • Asking follow-up questions 
  • Being curious and building confidence by asking questions
• Effective questioning includes
  • Understanding intentionality 
  • Exploring the depth in questions
  • Crafting artful questions

Major Takeaways

• Ways to practice questioning include setting clear goals, joining workshops and seminars, reading on how to question and networking with skilled communicators
• Assuming will lead to wrong conclusions and bad decision-making.
• Asking questions encourages critical thinking, opens doors to insights, enhances communications skills, learning opportunities and problem-solving.
• Effective questioning includes asking open-ended questions, focusing on the what and how instead of the why, 
• Asking questions will encourage learning through the question and answer process and help people become active listeners at home and at work

Share to your circles!