21 great questions for facilitators and why you should use them

A great facilitator asks great questions at the right time and in the right way. The shorter the question, the more useful it is to the person being asked, as you get yourself out of the way and give the person answering the space to answer.?This is real facilitation.?

As an action learning facilitator, I learnt that ‘suquestions’, as they were fondly called by the folks at the School for Social Entrepreneurs where I worked, really blocked the thinking of the person in the hot seat.

‘Suquestions’ are suggestions framed as questions. Like ‘why wouldn’t you just go to your manager and ask for help’ rather than ‘what can you do about that?’.

In Action Learning the person in the hot seat raises a dilemma, clarifies it so that it’s?a very clear question, then settles back as those in the room ask questions. The goal is to help the person in the hot seat find their own answers, or in my language, listen to their Mentor Within. We know the answers, but often we can’t see those answers because something stands in the way. When asked the right direct questions, we can find great answers.?

Facilitation can draw on action learning principles

Action learning is a formal process that can be used in many settings. Facilitation can be just like action learning if the facilitator uses those same skills to ask strategic, direct questions that allow the person being asked to access their knowledge, skills and experience.?

You can use a cheat sheet to ask questions

It is possible to be in front of an audience and be unable to think of the right question to ask at the right time. That’s when a cheat sheet comes in handy, and why I provide 21 key questions you can use in most settings. You may even choose to print the questions it in big font and have them available when needed.?

You can also cut the cheat sheet up and have individual questions available for people in the action learning circle to draw on to ask the person in the hot seat. Or you can pair people up and ask them to raise a dilemma they are facing, and the second person can draw on their set of questions to ask at random. It is remarkable how great questions can be used in almost any order, and they can create some ah-hah moments if one really sits back and listens.

It’s a luxury to talk uninterrupted

My favourite exercise is to get people to ask just one meaty question, and their partner is only allowed to say ‘tell me more’ or ‘ok’ while the other person is talking. It’s a luxury to be able to talk and talk with someone listening intently but not adding their opinion, and a discipline to really listen without getting caught up in trying to formulate an further questions or responses.

The short version of all of this is consider creating a space where people ask short questions and really listen to the answers, without adding their take on things.

Try some or all of these questions the next time you are facilitating, or encourage your participants to:?

1. What would the best outcome be?
2. What’s the worst that can happen??
3. What is standing in your way?
4. Explain a time this worked for you in the past??
5. When were you at your best??
6. What have you seen other people do when they are faced with this kind of problem?
7. What is the best advice you have received about this in the past??
8. Can you give three possible outcomes?
9. If you were to choose an outcome, what would it be?
10. How will you tell this story three years from now??
11. Can you change the story you think you will tell three years from now, so it reflects a powerful outcome?
12. How can you step into your power??
13. What do you need to start, stop or continue doing??
14. What have you learnt so far??
15. Tell me what you still need to cover?
16. What will be deeply satisfying for you??
17. Can you say that again, slowly, really listening to what you just said??
18. How can you create a win for your customers, your colleagues and the organisation?
19. How will you, those around you and the world benefit??
20. How will you and those around you contribute??
21. How do you want to remember this day?

As a facilitator, you will have your own style of asking questions. Just be sure they are never asked to make you look clever or to prove a point to make you right and someone else wrong.

Consider your motivation for asking the question and encourage everyone else to do the same. Great questions can create great outcomes.?

Photo by John Tyson, Unsplash