The Top 4 Rewards from a Proper Questioning Style

Questioning style is a bit of a lost art in today’s digitally communicative business world. Our phones and inboxes are constantly pinging. This leads people to sometimes assume the persona of an email when they communicate live. Bankers are especially direct these days, as they rotate from deal to deal, in need of key informational inputs to determine if a loan fits. Bankers, like others, are consumers of information and are reliant on suppliers of information for content. Without suppliers of information, they have little to do. One would think it would behoove them to be considerate of the people they need information from, yet this is not always the case. People often sound entitled to information, and care little how they are perceived in their process to get it. Asking questions is as much an art as a science and people that do it properly, have a huge advantage. When you ask questions in a nice and respectful way, people respond better and usually try their best to give you what you need. When you are conducting diligence and asking a lot of questions, the returns to proper questioning style are huge.

When you put some personality and chivalry into it, people sense you are trying to connect. This calms them and builds a comfort level which usually leads to them giving you what you need. Often, questioners use a laundry list approach, which involves emailing a long list of questions. Good questioners will personalize the email with a few simple sentences that says – “Hey we know this is a long list, and some may not apply. We really thank you for helping us learn the deal better. If you would like to have an informal call to knock off some quick answers, please call me anytime”. While a simple idea, it conveys gratitude and empathy to the audience. Knowing the best way to ask questions at each stage of the learning process is an invaluable tool. With the proper style and the right timing, you can tackle any and all questions including tough ones. Here are the Attract Capital top 4 rewards of a proper questioning style.

1. People trust you with more information – When the inquiring style is respectful, the audience is more likely to open up.
2. Learn new things– When people like the questioner, they editorialize and overshare which can lead to some very interesting discoveries.
3. Allows Focus on sensitive subjects – When people feel comfortable with a questioning style, you have more latitude in asking them tough questions.
4. Creates relationships– Too often today, people are very direct and rushed. When you show the other side that you care how they perceive your questioning style, it is an important signal that you are interested in relationships, not just transactions.