The way we frame — and the way we answer — questions matters.
Dating back to the 1970s, research suggests that people have conversations to accomplish some combination of two major goals: information exchange and impression management . Recent research shows that asking questions achieves both. Alison and Harvard colleagues Karen Huang, Michael Yeomans, Julia Minson, and Francesca Gino scrutinized thousands of natural conversations among participants who were getting to know each other, either in online chats or on in-person speed dates.
In our teaching at Harvard Business School, we run an exercise in which we instruct pairs of students to have a conversation. Some students are told to ask as few questions as possible, and some are instructed to ask as many as possible. Among the low-low pairs , participants generally report that the experience is a bit like children engaging in parallel play: They exchange statements but struggle to initiate an interactive, enjoyable, or productive dialogue.
A wealth of research in survey design has shown the dangers of narrowing respondents’ options. For example, “closed” questions can introduce bias and manipulation. In one study, in which parents were asked what they deemed “the most important thing for children to prepare them in life,” about 60% of them chose “to think for themselves” from a list of response options.
Just as important, top salespeople listen more and speak less than their counterparts overall. Taken together, the data from Gong.io affirms what great salespeople intuitively understand: When sellers ask questions rather than just make their pitch, they close more deals.
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
Data Dive: Monkeypox in Mississippi explainedWhat is monkeypox? How much has it spread in Mississippi? In the latest Data Dive, we've compiled CDC data to answer frequently asked questions about monkeypox and its presence in the state. Read the FAQ below.
Leer más »
CapMetro will now offer free rides to Austin's cooling centers through the end of SeptemberAfter pushback from advocates for people experiencing homelessness, Capital Metro is now giving free rides to cooling centers through Sept. 30.
Leer más »
Ross: Why Washington needs its Senate candidates on the debate stage now more than everOn Monday, Republican Senate Candidate Tiffany Smiley issued a news release accepting two debate invitations from the Washington State Debate Coalition... and proposing two more.
Leer más »
7 Questions to Ask Your New BossThe most important relationship to get right when starting a new job is the one with your boss. How do you build trust right from the beginning? And how do you get the feedback you need to succeed? The author offers seven questions to try. You will accelerate your career success if you can manage your boss better, which requires you to understand them better, which requires a deliberate strategy.
Leer más »