High-Gain conversations
High-GainSM conversations drive clarity, timely decision-making and effective action.
They're characterized by:
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High-Gain questions that get to the “heart of the matter” of a topic or issue faster.
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Participants’ full attention and focus.
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Uncommon levels of listening plus shared airspace.
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Unearthing issues below the surface that are harder (or impossible) to reach on one’s own.
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Generating insights.
Benefits include new perspectives, constructive debate and more substantive dialogue. The "bottom line" is reality-based decision making that drives better results.
Characteristics of High-Gain questions
- Concise.
- More open-ended than closed-ended (see below).
- Advances thinking by helping people evaluate possibilities or analyze issues differently.
- Helps people envision or speculate on a future outcome and to see their role in creating it.
- Often leads to other critical and unique questions.
- Must be asked in an encouraging way and in a non-threatening environment.
- Must be asked at the right time in a person’s thinking process.
Open-ended vs. closed-ended questions
Closed-ended questions typically generate short, specific answers, with a limited response (e.g. yes or no questions).
- Are you sure that’s what happened?
- Is that right?
- How many? When?
Open-ended questions tend to help the other person expand on their thinking, generating longer, broader, more thought-provoking answers.
- Help me understand more about…
- I’m wondering, what are your ultimate goals for this?
- What haven’t you tried?