Asking better questions helps you overcome mental barriers. That’s the trick. Asking smart and the right questions at the right time will relieve you of the extra stress and effort into getting information out of a person.

If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes to determine the proper questions to ask. – Albert Einstein

Questions have the ability to redirect our thoughts in an instant. Asking the right questions can change your mindset from limiting to empowering, almost like magic. Social interaction can be tough to some people and it often leads to overthinking a situation or conversation. To get better results you need to approach the situation in a smart way, hence ask better questions.

Be more positive

Negativity and a pessimistic attitude can lead to obstructive questions. Shed more positive light on situations which will result to a positive change and outcome. Identifying hidden problems is the key to solving a problem with your full interest. Make the other person so comfortable that they easily give away their thoughts and emotions. Becoming a better questionnaire is the most powerful and effective thing you can add to your personality.

Gestures

The manner in which the questions are asked is essential. Even though yelling isn’t recommended, there are special situations where raising your voice during your questions might be appropriate. Raising your voice becomes an effective questioning mechanism. Also, hand gestures and other physical signals used during speaking can make the other person more interested and feel engrossed. The most important key to a good questionnaire and conversation is eye contact. We usually tend to have discussions over text or the phone, little do we fail to realize is that our expressions and emotions are most understood when the person is in front of us.

Listening

Listen and observe more than you can talk. Use the power of silence. Silence can be an indication of empathy. When we are really tuning in to how the other person is feeling about what they’re saying, we’re listening more to the tone of their voice, cadence and speed rather than the actual words, and so replying with words may not be the attuned response. Sometimes just being open to a person and not hitting them up with questions is also a solution to the other person giving you better and more comfortable answers. Know when your words are more effective than your silence.

Your questions need to have insight and open up a conversation that eases one another, asking fewer questions and going deeper is the key. Also you always need to be bias. You cannot throw in your mentality and feelings into the situations. Your interest and empathy will help you gain the other persons trust. The quality of your questions will affect your answers.