A recurring theme of this blog has been the art of question framing.

Question types, the skills required to ask them, along with various purposes for which they may be considered, have been the subject of earlier reflection and suggestions on this blog. See especially ‘A Question of Skillful Questioning‘.

This post takes up the theme once more, with a focus on the role of the chair in moderating the quality of ‘question and answer’ exchanges during a meeting. Of course, it’s not only the responsibility of the chair to address such quality questions. All meeting participants share this responsibility.

So what constitutes a good question?

Different criteria will apply for the evaluation of the quality of different types of questions applied for various purposes.

The chart below identifies different combinations of criteria for judging the quality of the question types identified in Rhodes’ Typology (illustrated in the Skillful Questioning post). While some criteria apply to most kinds of questions (e.g. clarity and relevance), other criteria may only apply to certain types of question (e.g. creativity and complexity).

Relevance is an interesting criterion, as it can be interpreted in several ways. The judgment as to what is relevant, and to whom, is often subjective. Ultimately, the meeting chair will be the one to rule in circumstances where a question arises about the relevance of a question. Key levels or aspects of relevance are mentioned in the criteria charts below, notably, relevance to the organisation’s purpose, relevance to the strategy, to the agenda, and the matter under consideration.

Evaluating directors’ question quality

When the chair is evaluating the quality of a director’s question, that judgment will refer to certain criteria. A selection of appropriate criteria for this purpose is provided in the following chart. The criteria described in this chart can also be used for self-reflection aimed at improving the quality of questions we ask in board deliberations.

Two versions of a scoresheet that could potentially be used for self-assessment by directors, or by an independent evaluator, both of which use the criteria identified in the prior chart, appear below.

Team Members’ reflection on question quality

A similar set of criteria to those offered for directors is provided in the next chart, for reference by managers and team members seeking to improve the quality of the questions they ask during operations or project meetings.

Reflective questioning

The ‘quality question quest’ is an ongoing element of reflective practice and professional development for all of us, whether we serve as directors, managers, or team members. The question informing that evaluation exercise is “How can I improve the value I bring to decision-making deliberations for my organisation?“

See also:
A question of skillful questioning
The Curious Director
Questioning Frameworks and Options
What? So what? Now What? – Your Reflective Practice Guide
Hypothetically – what if …?
Strategic Causality
How Effective is Your Board? – Part 2
How Effective is Your Board? – Part 5