Vervago

Skill Sharpener Library

The First Step for Mindful Communication

CATEGORIES | Credibility, Email, Meetings, Precision Answering, Skill Sharpener

We live in an age of ever-increasing chatter. The never-ending stream of messages, alerts, reminders, and emails means our minds rarely settle during the workday. In this context, it’s easy to rush as we ask questions and deliver answers in our meetings. We think we can’t pause for a second or two, because if we do: Someone might hijack the thread of our discussion, leaving issues unaddressed. We’ll be viewed as less credible or knowledgeable. We’ll lose out on the opportunity to add … [Read more...]

Answering Anxiety

CATEGORIES | Building Confidence, Credibility, Meetings, Precision Answering, Skill Sharpener

At the beginning of every workshop we teach, we ask participants to briefly self-assess their thinking and communication skills. Not surprisingly, more than 60% cite the following as their personal Achilles heel: “communicating clearly and concisely at the speed of conversation.” Answering questions that others ask us during meetings isn’t always easy. Anxiety can surface: We may worry that our comments could hurt a colleague’s feelings or be perceived as insensitive. We may worry that … [Read more...]

Three Ways to Use Questions to Attune to Others

CATEGORIES | Credibility, Leadership, Precision Questioning, Skill Sharpener, Social Intelligence

“We all live in the world our questions create,” according to David Cooperrider, the founder of Appreciative Inquiry. That observation is a testament to the power of questions to shape so much of our life at work -- what we ask sets the stage for who we will become together. In addition, how we ask sets the stage for much of how we feel, how willing we are to explore, and how deeply we are willing to join together with others to accomplish our aims. Warren Berger, author of A More Beautiful … [Read more...]

Can You Pass the Credibility Test?

CATEGORIES | Categories of Analytic Questions, Credibility, Precision Questioning, Skill Sharpener

Political season always makes us think about the power of Evidence Questions. In the Precision Q+A framework, Evidence Questions aren’t just about analyzing data, they also help us assess credibility and weigh reasons for and against a position. A political position involves balancing pros and cons, weighing upsides and downsides, and marshalling support for a conclusion. This month we have the perfect opportunity to practice asking about evidence in order to build our credibility. Faced with … [Read more...]

The one question that yields better focus

CATEGORIES | Categories of Analytic Questions, Groups and Teams, Meetings, Precision Questioning, Social Intelligence

We have all noticed that our attention is in constant demand. Multiple communication channels, myriad interruptions, and technological distractions can keep us from bringing our full presence to our work. At Vervago, we have recently re-named a category of question, formerly Go/NoGo Questions, as Focus Questions, reflecting the growing importance of controlling our energy and attention in our work. This growing prominence of Focus Questions for the quality of work is reflected in psychologist … [Read more...]