Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change pdfdrive com

The Facts: Were you there when this went down? Did you say this? Sometimes
you start with these inquiries, sometimes you circle around to them, but these are
the questions that establish the connection between the person you’re
questioning and the activity at hand. They may be simple yes-or-no questions.
They confront your adversary with an event, an act, with words or facts, and
they ask about this person’s connection to them. You probably already know the
answer because often it is public knowledge.
The Accusation: Did you do it? Did you mean it? Why didn’t you stop it? Take
the allegation, add a question mark, and throw it at the accused. This question
demands a response—a denial, an admission, or an obvious dodge. It asks
explicitly about the wrongdoing you are alleging. The question is intended to put
the accused on the defensive. It frames the confrontation.
The Denial: Do you own a red convertible? Did you drive that car on the day in
question? Did you stop for gasoline? Since denial, quasi-denial, or obfuscation is
often the first response, you must anticipate a nonanswer and be prepared to
come back at it in persistent ways. Take the incident apart piece by piece. Ask
about the evidence, the timeline, eyewitness reports, the person’s own words, or
the historical record. Use them to reveal inconsistency or hypocrisy, lies or
misbehavior. These questions can force a response, make a point, or simply call
out your adversary.
For the Record: When are you going to tell the staff about the layoffs? Will you

---

agree to testify publicly? Why did you lie? Sometimes the best confrontational
questioning is less about the answer and more for the record. The question
becomes a point of reference, significant for having been asked. What did the
president know and when did he know it? Senator Howard Baker famously asked
in the middle of the Watergate hearings. The question led to damning testimony
that put Richard Nixon squarely in the middle of the cover-up. For-the-record
questions can be retrieved, replayed, and revisited as a snapshot in time, a
moment of accountability.