Making Questions Work

Acknowledgments xv

The Author xvii

Preface xix

Introduction xxi

Part One How to Ask Questions

1 Questions That Work 3

Process Frameworks 4

Conscious Questioning 8

Framing Questions 9

Planned Questioning 10

Closed and Open Questions 10

Closed Questions 10

Open Questions 12

Skills for Conscious Questioning 13

Customize for Context 13

Create Inviting Questions 15

Clarify Assumptions 17

Ask with Sensitivity 18

Accommodate Risk and Anxiety 20

Maintain a Participant-Observer Stance 22

Consider "Why?" Carefully 24

When in Doubt, Check It Out 25

Reminders 26

2 Core Facilitation Values 31

Values Into Action 32

Integrity 33

Guidelines for Asking Questions with Integrity 33

Maintain Objectivity 33

Clarify Confidentiality 35

Be Sensitive to Conflicts of Interest 36

Avoid Collusion 39

Ask Questions Fairly 40

Determine Authorship 41

Address Imbalances in Power and Information 41

Operationalizing the Value of Integrity 42

Authenticity 44

Guidelines for Asking Questions with Authenticity 45

Build Group Ownership for Outcomes 45

Minimize Self-Deception About a Process 46

Be Clear About Intentions 46

Acknowledge Problems 47

Be Honest About Your Competencies 47

Be Present; Tune In 48

Hear Your Client's Perspective 48

Operationalizing the Value of Authenticity 48

Mutual Respect 50

Guidelines for Asking Questions with Mutual Respect 51

Enable Equity 51

Clarify Group Norms 52

Respect Exchange Times 53

Encourage Direct Interaction 53

Be Patient; Whose Silence Is It? 54

Respect the Energy in the Group 54

Operationalizing the Value of Mutual Respect 55

Leaning on Values 55

3 Follow-up Questions 59

Prompt for Clarification 60

Prompt for Perspectives 61

Prompt for Rationale 62

Prompt for Options 63

Prompt for Implications 63

Part Two What to Ask When

4 Questions for Opening a Session 69

Process Framework 69

Guidelines for Questions to Open a Session 71

Question Bank 73

Getting to Know One Another 74

Focus: Sharing Personal Information 74

Focus: Exploring Work Experience 77

Clarifying Expectations 80

Focus: Understanding Hopes and Concerns 80

Focus: Meeting Objectives and Outcomes 83

Building Commitment 84

Focus: Developing Group Norms 85

Focus: Building Ownership 88

Common Challenges 90

When Time Is Short 90

Opening a Workshop on a Specific Topic 91

Opening a Series of Workshops 94

Loosening Up a Tight Group 96

5 Questions for Enabling Action 99

Process Framework 99

Guidelines for Questions to Enable Action 102

Question Bank 104

"What?": The Notice Questions (Observations) 104

"So What?": The Meaning Questions (Reflections) 107

Focus: Relevance and Fit 107

Focus: The Organization 110

Focus: The Individual 112

"Now What?": The Application Questions (Actions) 114

Focus: Personal Change 114

Focus: Organizational Change 116

Focus: Building Ownership 117

Focus: Operational Planning 119

Common Challenges 122

Supporting Action After a Meeting of a Network or Coalition 122

Enabling a Structured Approach to Reflection and Action 123

Discussing and Making Decisions That Affect Organizational Policies 124

Applying Research (Knowledge Translation) 125

Workplace Stress: Personal Change 128

6 Questions for Thinking Critically 131

Process Framework 133

Guidelines for Questions to Enable Critical Thinking 134

Question Bank 136

Making Assumptions and Perspectives Explicit 136

Focus: The Individual 136

Focus: The Team or Organization 138

Focus: The Broader Context 141

Understanding Interests and Power Relationships 144

Focus: The Individual 144

Focus: The Team or Organization 147

Focus: The Broader Context 149

Exploring Alternative Ways of Thinking and Acting 151

Focus: The Individual 151

Focus: The Team or Organization 155

Focus: The Broader Context 156

Making Ethical Choices 158

Focus: The Individual 158

Focus: The Team or Organization 161

Focus: The Broader Context 164

Common Challenges 165

Thinking Critically About the Future 165

Acting Ethically in Low-Resource Countries 166

Thinking Critically About Policy Changes 167

7 Questions for Addressing Issues 171

Process Framework 171

Guidelines for Questions to Address Issues 172

Question Bank 175

Understanding the Situation 176

Focus: Internal Considerations 176

Focus: External Considerations 180

Clarifying the Issues 182

Focus: Issue Description 183

Focus: Why This Is an Issue 185

Focus: Stakeholders 187

Generating Options for Action 189

Focus: A Positive Future 189

Focus: Solutions 190

Focus: Learning from Others 192

Testing Options for Action 193

Focus: Rationale 194

Focus: Potential Impact 194

Focus: Strategic Fit 195

Making a Decision 197

Taking Action 199

Common Challenges 202

Encouraging Candor and Confidentiality 202

Putting Sensitive Issues on the Table 203

Issues Management in a Nongovernmental Organization 204

Issues-Based Planning: A Redundancy Program 205

8 Questions for Closing a Session 209

Process Framework 209

Guidelines for Questions to Close a Session 210

Question Bank 211

Looking Backward 212

Focus: Midway Through a Process 212

Focus: The Experience as a Whole 213

Focus: Learning 216

Focus: Productivity 218

Focus: Management of the Process 221

Looking Forward 222

Focus: Celebrating Success 222

Focus: Building Ownership for Follow-Through 223

Focus: Taking Action-Knowledge Translation 224

Focus: Future Collaboration 227

Common Challenges 228

Bringing a Multisite Project to a Close 228

Closing a National, Issues-Based Workshop 230

Conducting Exit Interviews in Small Groups 231

Reviewing a Pilot Workshop 234

In Closing: About Questions-What I Know for Sure 237

References 241