Activity: Exploring My Community Resource Map

As we refer to asking open-ended questions, it is in the context of building your community network. Think about your purpose, as well as what information are you seeking or want to learn from individuals you meet.

By starting conversations with asking open-ended questions, it gives the other person an opportunity to share. Then listen.

To illustrate, "what projects have you enjoyed working on?" This opens the door for the individual to express freely. Start getting in the habit by asking open-ended questions that start with "what" or "how."

Conversely, closed questions start with when, where, do, and have, which lead to answers with a yes, no, or one-word type responses. 

For instance, if you ask, "when did you start at this company?" The person will likely reply with an answer such as "last year" and it stops the conversation very quickly. Another example, "do you have plans to complete your assignments?" The answer would be yes or no.

Questions that start with why tend to put people on the defensive because the answer needs to provide a reason or justification.

Note: An equally invaluable skill as asking thoughtful open questions is, LISTENING. In particular, listening with curiosity, openness, and empathy.