Argumentation Techniques
Probing Questions
Dig deeper into responses to uncover underlying issues, motivations, and important details.
What it is
Before & after
“Accepting vague answers, asking multiple questions at once, probing too aggressively.”
“One follow-up per response: 'Tell me more about that' or 'What else should I know?'”
When you’ll use it
When someone says 'It's not working': 'What specifically isn't working?' 'How does that impact your day?'
After 'We need better performance': 'What would better look like?' 'What's driving this need now?'
Following 'The team is struggling': 'Where do you see the biggest challenges?' 'What's been tried before?'
When hearing 'Budget is tight': 'Help me understand the constraints' 'What's the cost of not solving this?'
Conducting thorough client needs assessment and discovery
Facilitating productive problem-solving sessions with teams
Leading effective performance coaching and feedback conversations
Gathering detailed information during strategic planning processes
Pro tip
When you hear vague words like 'better,' 'good,' or 'struggling,' always probe deeper.
Questions & answers
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