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In a leadingquestion, the answer is implicit in or suggested by the question, e.g.. "This
son of behavior is quite unacceptable. isn't it?"
There are many other categories of questions including, for example. imperative.
exploratory, provocative, controversial, and ambiguous. but the categories dealt with
above are the most important in the industrial discussion group situation. Of the five
categories, the last two, rhetorical and leading, have no value in disc'ssionleading.They do
not provoke the group members to think and they do not stimulate Iurther discussion. In
any case. the leading question is usually considered siightly "improper". If you have the
choice. try to pose questions most frequently in the "open" or "neutral" or "nondirective"
form.
GeneralHints on the Use of Questions
1. Questions should be be brief. clear and simply worded.
2. Direct questions should be distributed at random. A fixed order, e.g., clockwise
around the group, shotld be avoided at all costs. They should also be well distributed
among the various members of the group.
3. Questions should, as far as possible, cover one point only.
4. Question should, where possible. be related to the ability and expe e:nce of the
person to whom they are addressed.
5. Having asked the question, give the members of the gr'oup time to think before
expecting an answer.
6. Don't use rhetorical or leading questions to try to get out of a difficult or awkward
situation in the group. This is more likely to make the situation worse.
Using Questions to Establish the Right Pattern of Discussion
Finally. on the use of questions, here are two diagrams which give us a bird's eve
view of the pattern of discussion we are trying to achieve.
NOT THIS BUT THIS
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