Dec 08 06
CommTips #4: Probes
By Maureen Taylor
Often in business conversations, we think we know all the information the other person needs to convey, but we find out later that there were important bits and pieces we didn’t capture. “Probes” are part of the Socratic Method of dialogue.
Probes are designed to gather the maximum amount of information and quickly move the dialogue forward. Probes open the door to more information than we may know about – they let the other person set the agenda.
When you’re having a conversation with someone about a business issue, you want to achieve three things.
Number one, isolate the issue.
In other words, you want to figure out what they are concerned about.
Number two, drive for specificity.
This is where you get the details of their issue.
Number three, separate the emotion.
This is keeping the conversation neutral, something that’s accomplished primarily with tone.
Probes can help you accomplish these three things, which in turn lead to good business relationships.
EXAMPLES
Here are a few examples of probes.
Tell me more.
For example?
What else should I know?
Why do you say that?
It’s not which of these phrases you use that’s important, it’s conveying to the speaker that you are listening and paying attention.
