One of the biggest challenges facing communicators and ministers is leading a group of people with different backgrounds, comfort levels and agendas to engage on a topic.

Getting your audience to contribute while you lead a discussion or meeting not only helps them follow along, but it also reinforces your point even after they’ve left.

It’s not easy to pull audience members into the discussion. Most leaders have weathered the storm of blank stares and silent pauses. But asking the right type of questions will keep your audience tracking with your ideas and sharing their own opinions. And at the end of the day, that should be a key goal any time you speak.

Many times, we ask the wrong type of question without even realizing it. If we’re so focused on just getting a response, we may end up asking closed-ended questions that shut down conversation when open-ended questions can drive engagement and keep the channels open.

What Is an Open-Ended Question?
Simply put, an open-ended question is one that probes for a more thoughtful response. The idea is to engage people by inviting them into the conversation, allowing them to share their own experiences and emotions. While closed-ended questions require only a simple yes/no or one-word answer, responses to open-ended questions take more words, thought and time to formulate.

When you ask open-ended questions, you’re looking for as many ways as possible to answer the question. A closed-ended question is a lot like giving your audience a quiz. They may come up with the right answer, but they haven’t really told you anything about themselves, nor have they shown they’re interested in what you have to say. But if they take the time to give thoughtful answers that reveal more about their opinions and ideas, you’ll know they’re engaging with you.

What’s So Great about Open-Ended Questions?
Asking questions that require a more thoughtful response can improve your communication in several ways.

Create connections. Open-ended questions will produce dialogue between you and another person. A simple “yes” or “no” response tells you nothing about a person. You may find out the person knows the correct answer, but then again, he or she may just be guessing. An open-ended question requires an individual to reach into personal emotions and experiences to formulate a response.

The ability to feel what your audience is feeling, rather than just knowing what they’re thinking, allows you to make deep connections that have lasting impact.

The answer can reveal a lot about a person. You’re creating a connection with your audience that allows the free exchange of ideas and opinions. And through that process, people can see your point better as well.

Discover differences. Open-ended responses require an engagement not only of intellect but of experiences. The responses will depend on the diverse makeup of your audience.

Each time you ask an open-ended question to a new group of people, expect to get different responses. That means you’re uncovering what makes your audience unique. When we discover our differences in a space where we’ve forged a connection, it can draw us closer in unity.

Exercise empathy. One of the biggest assets all great communicators have is empathy. The ability to feel what your audience is feeling, rather than just knowing what they’re thinking, allows you to make deep connections that have lasting impact.

Any time you meet with someone, whether in a teaching environment, a counseling session or a coaching model, make sure you’re displaying empathy to establish a bond that creates mutual trust and goodwill.

Where and When Should You Use Open-Ended Questions?
Use open-ended questions any time you want to engage with your audience, learn more about them, and have them better understand what you’re talking about.

The most logical place would be a Sunday School class or a small group setting. Whenever you’re leading a discussion, the goal is to put your listeners in the driver’s seat and help them better retain your big idea.

Open-ended questions can also be effective when talking with your staff. When you’re leading a meeting, there are times you should ask closed-ended questions to keep the conversation direct and to the point. But when you need to hear different points of view, ask questions that lead to more open discussion. And when you’re interviewing a potential staff member, open-ended questions will reveal more about that person’s competency, compatibility and character.

Asking open-ended questions comes naturally to some people, but not all of us are great at it. It’s a lot easier to fish for a one-word response. If you’re stuck asking closed-ended questions, there’s one simple trick you can use to get you going in the right direction.

Try adding the word “how” or “why” to the beginning of your question. So, instead of asking whether someone knows how to design a website, ask, “How did you learn website design?” Instead of asking whether a person regularly gives to the church, ask, “Why do you give a part of your income to your church?”

Such questions switch the focus from finding the right answer to creating a connection that has real impact. And that can improve the way you engage with any audience.