Making Questions Work

Dorothy Strachan is a partner in Strachan-Tomlinson, a process consulting firm based in Ottawa, Canada. She has been a professional facilitator since 1974. Dorothy's practice is in three main areas: process design and facilitation, organizational interventions such as strategic planning and team development, and the creation of customized workshops and learning programs. She is the author of several publications in areas such as leadership development, facilitation, strategic planning, and effective coaching in high-performance sports. Strachan-Tomlinson has a special interest in the health sector.

• Acknowledgments xvThe Author xviiPreface xixIntroduction xxiPart One How to Ask Questions1 Questions That Work 3 Process Frameworks 4Conscious Questioning 8Framing Questions 9Planned Questioning 10Closed and Open Questions 10Closed Questions 10Open Questions 12Skills for Conscious Questioning 13Customize for Context 13Create Inviting Questions 15Clarify Assumptions 17Ask with Sensitivity 18Accommodate Risk and Anxiety 20Maintain a Participant-Observer Stance 22Consider “Why?” Carefully 24When in Doubt, Check It Out 25Reminders 262 Core Facilitation Values 31Values Into Action 32Integrity 33Guidelines for Asking Questions with Integrity 33Maintain Objectivity 33Clarify Confidentiality 35Be Sensitive to Conflicts of Interest 36Avoid Collusion 39Ask Questions Fairly 40Determine Authorship 41Address Imbalances in Power and Information 41Operationalizing the Value of Integrity 42Authenticity 44Guidelines for Asking Questions with Authenticity 45Build Group Ownership for Outcomes 45Minimize Self-Deception About a Process 46Be Clear About Intentions 46Acknowledge Problems 47Be Honest About Your Competencies 47Be Present; Tune In 48Hear Your Client’s Perspective 48Operationalizing the Value of Authenticity 48Mutual Respect 50Guidelines for Asking Questions with Mutual Respect 51Enable Equity 51Clarify Group Norms 52Respect Exchange Times 53Encourage Direct Interaction 53Be Patient; Whose Silence Is It? 54Respect the Energy in the Group 54Operationalizing the Value of Mutual Respect 55Leaning on Values 553 Follow-up Questions 59Prompt for Clarification 60Prompt for Perspectives 61Prompt for Rationale 62Prompt for Options 63Prompt for Implications 63Part Two What to Ask When4 Questions for Opening a Session 69Process Framework 69Guidelines for Questions to Open a Session 71Question Bank 73Getting to Know One Another 74Focus: Sharing Personal Information 74Focus: Exploring Work Experience 77Clarifying Expectations 80Focus: Understanding Hopes and Concerns 80Focus: Meeting Objectives and Outcomes 83Building Commitment 84Focus: Developing Group Norms 85Focus: Building Ownership 88Common Challenges 90When Time Is Short 90Opening a Workshop on a Specific Topic 91Opening a Series of Workshops 94Loosening Up a Tight Group 965 Questions for Enabling Action 99Process Framework 99Guidelines for Questions to Enable Action 102Question Bank 104“What?”: The Notice Questions (Observations) 104“So What?”: The Meaning Questions (Reflections) 107Focus: Relevance and Fit 107Focus: The Organization 110Focus: The Individual 112“Now What?”: The Application Questions (Actions) 114Focus: Personal Change 114Focus: Organizational Change 116Focus: Building Ownership 117Focus: Operational Planning 119Common Challenges 122Supporting Action After a Meeting of a Network or Coalition 122Enabling a Structured Approach to Reflection and Action 123Discussing and Making Decisions That Affect Organizational Policies 124Applying Research (Knowledge Translation) 125Workplace Stress: Personal Change 1286 Questions for Thinking Critically 131Process Framework 133Guidelines for Questions to Enable Critical Thinking 134Question Bank 136Making Assumptions and Perspectives Explicit 136Focus: The Individual 136Focus: The Team or Organization 138Focus: The Broader Context 141Understanding Interests and Power Relationships 144Focus: The Individual 144Focus: The Team or Organization 147Focus: The Broader Context 149Exploring Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting 151Focus: The Individual 151Focus: The Team or Organization 155Focus: The Broader Context 156Making Ethical Choices 158Focus: The Individual 158Focus: The Team or Organization 161Focus: The Broader Context 164Common Challenges 165Thinking Critically About the Future 165Acting Ethically in Low-Resource Countries 166Thinking Critically About Policy Changes 1677 Questions for Addressing Issues 171Process Framework 171Guidelines for Questions to Address Issues 172Question Bank 175Understanding the Situation 176Focus: Internal Considerations 176Focus: External Considerations 180Clarifying the Issues 182Focus: Issue Description 183Focus: Why This Is an Issue 185Focus: Stakeholders 187Generating Options for Action 189Focus: A Positive Future 189Focus: Solutions 190Focus: Learning from Others 192Testing Options for Action 193Focus: Rationale 194Focus: Potential Impact 194Focus: Strategic Fit 195Making a Decision 197Taking Action 199Common Challenges 202Encouraging Candor and Confidentiality 202Putting Sensitive Issues on the Table 203Issues Management in a Nongovernmental Organization 204Issues-Based Planning: A Redundancy Program 2058 Questions for Closing a Session 209Process Framework 209Guidelines for Questions to Close a Session 210Question Bank 211Looking Backward 212Focus: Midway Through a Process 212Focus: The Experience as a Whole 213Focus: Learning 216Focus: Productivity 218Focus: Management of the Process 221Looking Forward 222Focus: Celebrating Success 222Focus: Building Ownership for Follow-Through 223Focus: Taking Action—Knowledge Translation 224Focus: Future Collaboration 227Common Challenges 228Bringing a Multisite Project to a Close 228Closing a National, Issues-Based Workshop 230Conducting Exit Interviews in Small Groups 231Reviewing a Pilot Workshop 234In Closing: About Questions—What I Know for Sure 237References 241