How To Encourage Your Shy Trainees To Ask Questions

One of the key principles I discovered early in my career as a corporate trainer was that conducting training courses is more effective if the trainees ask more questions. When they ask more questions, it is easier for me to identify their precise training needs on a real-time basis. Correspondingly, it is easier for me to present and facilitate my course to meet those needs.

However, I sometimes encounter shy trainees who prefer to be in their comfort zone, listening to me and simply taking down notes. In this case, I am running blind because I have absolutely no feedback on what areas I should focus on when conducting my course.

In such situations, I found these 11 techniques to be useful in eliciting questions from my shy trainees:

Technique 1: State 'Open Door' Policy

I tell my trainees during the opening module of my course: I expect you to ask for questions anytime during this course provided that your questions are relevant to_________( I state the course title ).

Technique 2: Install A 'Helpful-Person Anchor' Activity

I tell my trainees during the opening module of my course: I am a helpful person.... ( I gently touch my heart area with the two fingers of my right hand for two seconds ). Indeed, the trainees in my previous course have realized that I have truly helped them gain new knowledge and skills ( for the second time, I gently touch my heart area with the two fingers of my right hand for two seconds ).

[Note: I am using a method based on Neuro-Linguistic programming (NLP) technology called ‘Personal Attributes Anchoring.’ Here is a video reference ( 7:18 minutes ) that shows you the theory behind this method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGAUQBIPWUM.]

Technique 3: 'Frozen Guru'

To take my trainees out of their comfort zone, I do the following steps: I stop talking, look down at the floor, and stay perfectly still. I find that something magical happens when I do these steps: Questions percolate to the surface of the mind of my trainees because there is no new input from the outside so they have to go inside their minds.

Technique 4: 'Planting A Seed'

I tell my trainees: One thing you might ask is.....( I state a question and I answer my own question ). This technique triggers the idea in their mind that this is now the "question time" where their questions are answered.

Technique 5: 'Looking Back'

I tell my trainees: Looking back, one of the most frequently asked questions from the past trainees was.....( I state the question and I answer this question ). This statement creates a subtle pressure on my trainees to ask because trainees of my previous courses have asked questions.

Technique 6: 'Tricky Bait'

I gently ask my trainees: How would it feel if you ask me a question? For my trainees to experience how it would feel to ask, they have no choice but to formulate a question in their minds. And this is the first step before they ask questions.

Technique 7: 'Confusion Searching'

I gently tell my trainees: You do not have to ask me a question if there is no confusion in your mind about the topics we have covered so far. My trainees will have to mentally review all the topics we have covered to determine whether there are areas where they are confused.

Technique 8: 'Benefits Pounding'

I gently tell my trainees: When you ask me a question you are going to erase any confusion in your mind about the topics we have covered so far. My trainees will be asking questions because they are now aware of the benefits of getting the answers to their questions.

Technique 9: 'Medal Of Honor'

When a trainee asks me a question, I automatically proclaim: That is an outstanding question! I am pretty sure that you will ask me: What do you do if the said question is classified as a "stupid" question? My answer is that, as far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as a "stupid" question as long it is within the scope of the course. Indeed, I look at this situation as a wonderful opportunity for me to use this "stupid question" as a catalyst to drive home the core learning points of my course.

Technique 10: 'Ojiki'

"Ojiki" is the Japanese word for bowing which is showing your respect for the other person. When a trainee raised his hand to ask, I slowly bend my body torso forward by 20 degrees toward this trainee, I look at his or her eyes, I move my right arm forward as though I am throwing a bowling ball, I smile, and say 'please.' I use this technique to communicate my message to my trainees that I welcome their questions with respect and appreciation.

Technique 11: 'Neon Light'

I gently tell my trainees: I know you have a lot of valuable questions in your mind and if you asked me a question, I will write your question on this flip chart and I will also indicate your nickname in capital letters in red color. And I have found out that trainees, whether shy or not shy, want to see their nicknames in capital letters in red color on the flip chart. And they ask questions.

Special Cases

Over the years, I received two important questions related to this post from other corporate trainers.

Question 1: How do I respond if a shy trainee asks me a question in private during the breaks (morning, lunch, and afternoon) of my course?

My Answer: You should express your gratitude to the shy trainee for bringing to your attention his or her question. It is vital for you to resist the temptation to answer his or her question. In turn, you should request, in a gentle and persuasive manner, him or her to ask his or her question during the course so that others trainees will also benefit from your answer. However, you need to establish that his or her question is related to your course.

Question 2: How do I respond when I find some pieces of paper on my presentation table with some questions written on it presumably from unknown shy trainees?

My Answer: You should express your gratitude to the shy trainees for bringing to your attention their questions. It is vital for you to resist the temptation to read and answer these questions. In turn, you should announce, in a gentle and persuasive manner, to all trainees during your course that you will not entertain written questions. Instead, state that you prefer that a trainee asks his or her question in a verbal manner so that you can clarify these questions, if required, and confirm whether you have answered his or her question.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

After you use these 11 techniques in your courses, I am sure that you will realize how easy it is to encourage your shy trainees to ask questions.