How can you use open-ended questions to encourage active listening in a facilitation?

Open ended questions are really good if we are applying the theory of constructivism (Cognitive Learning Theory) and allowing learners to analyze, interpret and construct their own Mental Model based on their learning experience. But be mindful that with open ended questions, there is possibility of every individual creating their own unique mental construct of learning. Open ended questions can excellent if we want learners to listen to each other's perspective and learn from them(Peer Learning).

Open ended questions are important because it allows the facilitator to gauge if participants truly understand and if they are following along. It’s also important because it allows others in the room to hear from a different voice and perspective besides the facilitator. A huge part of asking open ended questions is providing wait/think time after asking the question so participants can gather their thoughts. This will allow for everyone to think throughly about their responses and be more confident sharing their answers with a group.

People often do not realise the power of open ended questions. This is a powerful tool to make sure you're listening to what is being said, inferring from it and checking if you're on the right wave length. Also, it's important for a listener to ask more details and facts before taking the right decision

Open-ended questions make people think. And in today's environment, where people's attention span is extremely short, you want to create and maintain engagement. Another important aspect is that people learn from reflecting on experiences and information. Asking open-ended questions make them think through what they have just heard or experienced and draw conclusions for themselves for the future, therefore deepening the learning.

People usually laugh when I ask questions. But I ignore it coz its a tool for getting more data and details which the other person has but I don't. Recently while talking to a dealer I asked questions which he was also not aware off. He checked with his technical team and got back to me. He also commented saying I'm the first person to get into minute details but for me it was an important factor to take the decision before going ahead

Offene Fragen stellen alleine reicht nicht. Sie müssen sich fürs Thema und Ihr Gegenüber interessieren. Nur so entsteht ein guter Dialog.

Keep open ended questions short and punchy. Then, pause.... Allow time for the person to think and formulate their response. Hold space for them to go within, find the answer and then share back.

In a facilitation scenario, there will be a group of people listening in, not only the facilitator. So it's important to be mindful of other people's capacity to listen and their interest in the topic. You may need to use a closed question or other approach to move the conversation along. Also, too many open questions risks giving too much airtime to a small number of people at the expense of others. It's important to make sure everyone has the opportunity to respond, perhaps by asking an open question and inviting people to discuss responses in pairs or small groups before bringing thinking back to the whole group.

Open ended questions can be in the ways of leading questions, checking with why, polling, optional questions, WIIFT questions etc.. One needs to be cognitive while asking the right questions in the right way to master it

Be comfortable with silence. People think and process differently. Don't be in a rush to say more when there is silence after you pose an open-ended question. Often if you keep talking you end up posing more questions or creating confusion about what the focus is. Just pause. Lean into the silence.

Open ended questions are a great way to create psychological safety while facilitating. These type of questions don't judge people; they encourage freedom to respond. One thing to keep in mind while use open ended questions is to make sure they are not generic, but specific. For example- What's your feedback on my presentation?- is an open-ended question, but may not elicit relevant response. However, what should I change in the presentation slides to make them clearer/crisper?- has a higher chance of getting you an actionable response.

Ist es Ihnen auch schon passiert, dass gefragt haben: "Wie war dein Tag heute?" und die Antwort war: "Gut" Offene Fragen alleine helfen nicht! Die richtige Zeit, das richtige Setup und wahres Interesse sind unabdingbar.