How do you feel about that?

“How do you feel about that?”

This is not a question most professionals hear at work. Work related questions are typically objective or decisional in nature. What’s the status? What are the next steps? This likely works well for project meetings for example, but fall short when having development conversations or one-on-ones with staff. Objective and decisional questioning is helpful in all conversations and incorporating two additional question types will enhance the conversations you have with peers, team members, friends and family. Use these four questions types including objective and decisional that make up the ORID conversation framework. (ORID is an acronym derived from the first letters of the four levels of questioning):

  1. Objective - Externally focused on gathering data, facts, and observations

  2. Reflective - Internally focused on surfacing feelings, impressions, emotional tones, and perspectives

  3. Interpretative - Related to meaning, purpose, significance, and implications

  4. Decisional - Exploring options, risks and benefits, commitments, next steps

Through my experience as an Executive Coach, Human Resources Professional, and trainer I’ve learned about the power of effective questions and intentionally using questions to make personal connections, build rapport, enhance growth, gain commitment and more. In a team or 1:1 setting, use the ORID framework to have meaningful conversations that move the discussion from gathering external data, to the internal experience, making an interpretation of the experience and then determining a course of action based on insight gained. 

Sample Objective Questions: 

  • Which comments or ideas caught your attention, and why? 

  • What have you tried so far? 

  • What were the results of that? 

Sample Reflective questions:

  • How did this experience affect you?  

  • How did the group react? 

  • What was your gut reaction?

Sample Interpretative Questions:

  • What was your key insight? 

  • What was the most meaningful aspect of this activity? 

  • What have you learned from this experience?

Sample Decisional Questions: 

  • What will you do differently as a result of the experience? 

  • What would you say about the experience to people who were not there? 

  • How will you apply what you learned? 

Using this conversation framework will help you and the people you interact with. Combined with active listening this framework is a powerful leadership tool.