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#48 Why you need to ask one question at a time

#48 Why you need to ask one question at a time

Why you need to ask one question at a time

June 10, 2022

Reading time: ~1 min.

Enjoy this week’s email….because who doesn’t want a sales bluebird every week???

Why you need to ask one question at a time

We've all done this before. Especially when we are nervous. We ask a great question and then immediately follow up with more questions before the person has had a chance to answer.We do this because we are not confident and competent in asking the main question. We don't really know why we are asking the question. Or if it is the right question to ask. And it results in us talking out loud as we think about the question we are asking.Michael Bungay Stanier, the author of The Coaching Habit, refers to this as 'drive-by questioning'...causing confusion or even the feeling of interrogation for the person on the receiving end. So how do we stop this habit? Here are 2 ideas.

Practice asking single questions. May sound simple, but it works. Practice in different settings, practice often. It will pay off.
Use the support of your team. If you know you do this...tell them you know how it can frustrate them and impact the effectiveness of hte conversation. Ask them to point it out next time. Course correct in the moment.

Here's a link to the Sales Bluebird episode for more>>>

Click on the image if you're interested in Michael Bungay Stanier's book, The Coaching Habit. I highly recommend it!