Those that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer, are the best type of questions to ask if you’re looking to establish common ground.
Just be careful not to overdo your questioning. You don’t want the other person to feel like they’re being interrogated.
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Similar ideas to Ask open-ended questions
Avoid questions you can answer “yes” or “no”. They are closed-ended, don’t generate discussion and they rarely yield any insight.
By asking open-ended questions, you get far more interesting insights. They invite reflection and start discussions.
If you ask questions that have yes or no answers, the conversation could stall quickly. Instead, ask questions that encourage the conversation to open up rather than close down. For example:
Start your questions with who, what, when, where, why or how.
For example, instead of asking "Were you terrified?", which will produce a "yes" or "no" answer, try asking, "How did that feel?" They might have to think about it, but you'll get a much better response.
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