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semi-closed question according to context. If you have already
identified and discussed a problem area it is moving toward being
more closed than open.)

When you have all the information that you need, or are likely to get,
turn up the control mechanism another notch by asking genuinely closed
questions.

n Is the redundancy programme the only area where you want to
hear my ideas at the moment?

n Do you have a budget for this?
n Is your key objective to reduce downtime by 20 per cent?
n Are you eager to identify ways to increase sales?

Absolute control comes from asking questions to which the only rea-
sonable answer is “yes” or sometimes “no”, but in influence psychology
“yes” is always better. The more times I say “yes” to you the less likely that
I am to say “no” when you ask for my agreement.

Value/leading questions

Questions that you may expect to lead the other to answer affirmatively
may include value questions such as:

n As a parent, do you agree that the quality of education will be
critical to your child’s future?

n Do you agree that we who have so much should do what we can to
reduce the suffering of starving children?

or

Leading questions

n Having satisfied you on all the points that you have raised do you
think that this is a good idea for you right now? (How could it not
be a good idea if I have satisfied the listener on all the points that
he or she has raised?)

n Do you see why short-term growth is the right strategy in today’s
conditions? (Few of us have the courage to say, “no sorry I’m not
smart enough to understand”.)

To keep your argument on track once you are doing a considerable
share of the talking, and to keep the other actively involved use progress
test questions that place the burden back where it belongs on you the
skilled influencer:

n Have I made it clear how the new system will solve your problems?
n Does what I’ve said (shown you, given you a feel for) sound (look,

feel) right to you?

182 Key management questions