Asking Great Questions
Good questions are the primary tools of a skilled mediator. Throughout the negotiation part of the meeting and in any private meetings you have, good questions are an important way of encouraging your employees to find their own answers. Asking questions allows you to gather information, expand your employees’ perspectives, generate option, and orient your process to the future. Additionally, good questions help you reinforce that this conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue (no lengthy speeches!).
The following sections cover the different types of questions you can ask, the order in which you should ask them, and the kinds of questions you should avoid.