2 management - School of International Business and ...

Günter Lehmann
– Future-oriented questions come at the end with certain accepted conditions.
– Statistical questions about the subject personally belong at the end of the questions, if
they are necessary at all.
Course of the guideline interview (recommendations):
At the beginning of the interview, the interviewer should explain the concept and goal of the question-
naire in detail, as well as agree to display and use of his answers.
– Actively control the course of the discussion!
The basis is the interview guide which, on the one hand, is flexible to adjust to the subject,
and on the other, must ensure gathering comparable information.
– Ask simple questions!
Questions must be adjusted to correspond to the subject's ability to understand. Use
short formulations which are as open as possible, contain clear terms and can be answe-
red by the subject.
– Listen actively!
Active listening means: Maintain eye contact, pay attention, write along with the answers,
repeat answers, summarize what was said, ask open questions, and reflect feelings.
– Show understanding!
It is only allowed to show that you understand, not to show that you want to refute the
subject. The basic behavior should be: The subject is always right! Do not doubt answers.
Accept refusals.
– Ask follow-up questions!
Intensive follow-up questions are used to gather more information. This includes the in-
terview questioning for reasons of understanding, or triggers generalizations from the
answer in which the fact or experience behind the answer is probed.
-- Be active and friendly!
The signal to the subject that his information is important and interesting is important. Eye
contact, friendly facial impressions belong to this, in addition to the expression of positive
affect and avoiding questioning tones.
– Don't stop the questioning!
Of course one must react to questions of understanding from the subject. If the interviewer
is questioned about his opinion, he should answer these only after the interview con-
cludes. In any case, the interviewer must accept any refusal to answer.
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