Precision Q and A

Class Time
This week I was afforded an opportunity to attend a one day class with my team that took a deep dive into asking and answering precise questions.  The class was great, and I learned some new concepts I had never given thought to before. Many times throughout the day, I imagined I wouldn't remember much from the full day class and that the new information would probably be lost over the next few weeks.  Having chewed on this thought during the course work, I wasn't the least bit surprised to find the conclusion at the end of the day included a mention to the affect of:  Don't to try to remember every detail but instead focus on a few key areas to improve on. Writing these areas will surely help right?! ... RIGHT!!!

My Points of Focus:
As a result, I narrowed my learning to 3 main points. This includes:
    1.) Keep Questions Simple
    2.) Put answers into Bullet/Number format when possible
    3.) Preparation is Vital!!!

SIMPLE Questions
I don't have a mnemonic for the word SIMPLE yet, but I think that would be great, so some day when I crank out my own PQ&A class, I will come up with something for my new word.  But back to the topic at hand, simple questions are straight forward and singular.  This means that questions should not span multiple parts and allows for a single question that can be expanded upon later.  Unfortunately, this only works well if the person answering the questions sticks to the question at hand.  So along with this aspect is learning to interrupt another person when necessary to get back on track.  This is important in reaching the needed information without looping through a set of other points that aren't necessary.  As the old saying goes, "keep it simple stupid".

Using Bullets
Turns out using bullets is useful in writing AND in conversation.  It is useful because it helps the listener to mentally prepare for what you are about to tell them. For example, say I am going to have you bake a cake.  I could do it one of two ways:
    a.) Baking a cake:  Get a recipe, find the ingredients, make cake batter, bake the cake, frost the cake, enjoy
    b.) 6 Easy Steps to Bake a cake:
        1.) OBTAIN recipe
        2.) COMPILE ingredients
        3.) MIX cake ingredients
        4.) BAKE cake in oven
        5.) FROST cake
        6.) ENJOY

Now in looking at these two options, you may already have forgotten everything you just read, but you probably remember that there were 6 steps which is a much better start than the jumbled mess from the first example.

Preparation is VITAL
This wasn't actually an emphasis of the course and wasn't really even a part of the course at all.  Instead this is my own addition because what I realized throughout the day is that real precision questioning and answering involves knowing your audience, what you are talking about, and to whom you are talking. In order to compile all this information, you need to prepare, and you need to do it adequately.

One of the best preparation methods is to Practice, Practice, Practice. Whether you are giving a presentation, or asking questions at a presentation, the more you practice and prepare the more respected you will be. Instead of asking ill timed or unadvised questions, or perhaps answering a question to hastily, pause for a second to compile your words intelligently and in turn your thoughts will come out clear and precise instead of in a clumped chunky spew fashion.  In keeping with the lameness of the rest of my blog.... Practice Makes Perfect!!!

Spouting off nonsense once a week...
-Dingle McT