Classroom/ Online: Yes/ Yes
Scheduling Date(s):
1) Apr 15, 2025 (classroom)
2) Sep 16, 2025 (classroom)
Note: Please click specific date for detailed venue and course fee etc.
The Art and Science of Excellent Enquiry
Smart Questioning Strategies for Getting Highly Targeted Answers During Interviews, Facilitations and Audits
Specially Designed For Professionals, Interviewers, Facilitators and Audit Personnel
In this workshop, you will learn how to use powerful questioning techniques to elicit targeted answers from your audience. The ability to pose the correct questions in the correct manner, and at the correct sequence or time is instrumental in getting deeper answers. Learn how to extract responses that people do not want to share. This is also a life skill that is so transferable you can use in any industry and at any stage of your career.
This is a hands-on workshop on verbal questioning skills suitable for leaders, managers, professionals, interviewers, facilitators, investigators and anyone with an audit function.
You will acquire life-long skills in effective verbal questioning strategies. Specifically, you will learn how to pose precise questions for specific purposes. You will also master the essential elements of each type of question most commonly used to understand people in a deeper level. In short, you will see questioning techniques as a strategy game.
You will get to learn from an experienced coach who was a national public speaking champion, and who has coached top corporate leaders in 26 countries. Therefore, this workshop is designed to give your great exposure to enhanced performance.
Specially Designed For Professionals, Interviewers, Facilitators and Audit Personnel
In this workshop, you will learn how to use powerful questioning techniques to elicit targeted answers from your audience. The ability to pose the correct questions in the correct manner, and at the correct sequence or time is instrumental in getting deeper answers. Learn how to extract responses that people do not want to share. This is also a life skill that is so transferable you can use in any industry and at any stage of your career.
This is a hands-on workshop on verbal questioning skills suitable for leaders, managers, professionals, interviewers, facilitators, investigators and anyone with an audit function.
You will acquire life-long skills in effective verbal questioning strategies. Specifically, you will learn how to pose precise questions for specific purposes. You will also master the essential elements of each type of question most commonly used to understand people in a deeper level. In short, you will see questioning techniques as a strategy game.
You will get to learn from an experienced coach who was a national public speaking champion, and who has coached top corporate leaders in 26 countries. Therefore, this workshop is designed to give your great exposure to enhanced performance.
Objective
This workshop is split into four major objectives:
1. Applying Questioning Strategy and Psychology
2. Understanding Questioning Techniques
3. Utilizing Body Language Techniques
4. Vocal Expression and Projection Techniques
Bonus Segment: Handling Impromptu Speech and Q&A (Optional)
1. Applying Questioning Strategy and Psychology
2. Understanding Questioning Techniques
3. Utilizing Body Language Techniques
4. Vocal Expression and Projection Techniques
Bonus Segment: Handling Impromptu Speech and Q&A (Optional)
Outline
Segment 1: Applying Questioning Strategy and Psychology
Planning and Strategizing Essentials
The first and most important step to creating any questioning exercise, facilitation exercise or interview is accurate planning with the end in mind. Effective planning and strategizing requires a deep understanding of the 3 P’s: Purposes, Processes and Psychology.
Participants will learn:
1. The Principles of Asking Questions
2. Clarifying The Purpose of Asking Questions
3. Preparing Your Question Strategy
4. The PDCA Process For Planning Questions
5. Respondent/Interviewee Psychology: The 3 Major Types of Responses
6. Psychology: Personal Filters (Optional)
Segment 2: Understanding Questioning Techniques
Applying The Right Questions In The Right Manner To The Right Audience
This segment delves into the specific techniques of questions. The different types of questions, their usefulness, advantages and disadvantages, and application scenarios will be discussed in detail.
Participants will learn:
1. The 9 Major Categories of Questions
2. Questioning Techniques for Rapport Building
3. Sequencing Techniques: Asking Questions in the Right Order
4. Current Research on How to Get People to Reveal Sensitive Information
5. Common Myths and Mistakes of Asking Questions
6. How to Use Questions to Foster Collaboration (Optional)
Segment 3: Utilizing Body Language Techniques
The Power of Body Language
Body language contributes to 55% of all information relayed between communicators. Hence, it constitutes more than 50% of the interviewer’s success rate. It is one thing to feel confident, and another thing to be perceived as confident. Body language is an essential tool to being perceived as a confident and credible interviewer.
Additionally, you will also learn how to read the body language responses from the audience, and use this as useful inputs to guide you in adjusting your questions along the way.
Participants will learn:
1. The do’s and don’ts of body language when asking questions
2. Body language techniques to build rapport and make people open up
3. Body language techniques to present or question with authority
4. The appropriate standing/sitting posture to convey confidence
5. Hand gestures and their meaning
6. The secret psychology of handshakes
Segment 4: Vocal Expression and Projection Techniques
The Power of The Voice
Because the voice makes up 38% of all information conveyed, interviewers who successfully utilized the power of their voice can increase their engagement with their audience. The voice is a powerful tool when speaking and asking questions to mass audience.
Participants will learn:
1. The three types of voices
2. Voice enhancement exercises
3. Strategies in using pauses
4. Implanting ‘Emphasis’ on words
5. Understanding tone, pitch, and vocal rate
6. Creating vocal stamina (optional)
7. How to speak at length without hurting your voice (optional)
Bonus Segment: Handling Impromptu Speech and Q&A (Optional)
Impromptu Speaking and Q&A Techniques
Interviewers can be given difficult and sudden questions to answer from time to time. The ability to handle difficult questions and sudden questions by thinking on one’s feet in the moment of pressure, yet deliver powerful and credible responses are essential in building up the credibility of the interviewer and leader.
Participants will learn:
1. Techniques in impromptu speaking
2. The three major categories of questions people usually ask
3. Phrases to use to ‘buy time’ to think
4. The top 6 speech structures for handling Q&A
5. How to answer difficult questions and audiences
Planning and Strategizing Essentials
The first and most important step to creating any questioning exercise, facilitation exercise or interview is accurate planning with the end in mind. Effective planning and strategizing requires a deep understanding of the 3 P’s: Purposes, Processes and Psychology.
Participants will learn:
1. The Principles of Asking Questions
2. Clarifying The Purpose of Asking Questions
3. Preparing Your Question Strategy
4. The PDCA Process For Planning Questions
5. Respondent/Interviewee Psychology: The 3 Major Types of Responses
6. Psychology: Personal Filters (Optional)
Segment 2: Understanding Questioning Techniques
Applying The Right Questions In The Right Manner To The Right Audience
This segment delves into the specific techniques of questions. The different types of questions, their usefulness, advantages and disadvantages, and application scenarios will be discussed in detail.
Participants will learn:
1. The 9 Major Categories of Questions
2. Questioning Techniques for Rapport Building
3. Sequencing Techniques: Asking Questions in the Right Order
4. Current Research on How to Get People to Reveal Sensitive Information
5. Common Myths and Mistakes of Asking Questions
6. How to Use Questions to Foster Collaboration (Optional)
Segment 3: Utilizing Body Language Techniques
The Power of Body Language
Body language contributes to 55% of all information relayed between communicators. Hence, it constitutes more than 50% of the interviewer’s success rate. It is one thing to feel confident, and another thing to be perceived as confident. Body language is an essential tool to being perceived as a confident and credible interviewer.
Additionally, you will also learn how to read the body language responses from the audience, and use this as useful inputs to guide you in adjusting your questions along the way.
Participants will learn:
1. The do’s and don’ts of body language when asking questions
2. Body language techniques to build rapport and make people open up
3. Body language techniques to present or question with authority
4. The appropriate standing/sitting posture to convey confidence
5. Hand gestures and their meaning
6. The secret psychology of handshakes
Segment 4: Vocal Expression and Projection Techniques
The Power of The Voice
Because the voice makes up 38% of all information conveyed, interviewers who successfully utilized the power of their voice can increase their engagement with their audience. The voice is a powerful tool when speaking and asking questions to mass audience.
Participants will learn:
1. The three types of voices
2. Voice enhancement exercises
3. Strategies in using pauses
4. Implanting ‘Emphasis’ on words
5. Understanding tone, pitch, and vocal rate
6. Creating vocal stamina (optional)
7. How to speak at length without hurting your voice (optional)
Bonus Segment: Handling Impromptu Speech and Q&A (Optional)
Impromptu Speaking and Q&A Techniques
Interviewers can be given difficult and sudden questions to answer from time to time. The ability to handle difficult questions and sudden questions by thinking on one’s feet in the moment of pressure, yet deliver powerful and credible responses are essential in building up the credibility of the interviewer and leader.
Participants will learn:
1. Techniques in impromptu speaking
2. The three major categories of questions people usually ask
3. Phrases to use to ‘buy time’ to think
4. The top 6 speech structures for handling Q&A
5. How to answer difficult questions and audiences
Who should attend
Corporate leaders, managers, professionals, interviewers, facilitators, investigators, anyone with an audit function, and people who want to:
1. Learn a lifelong skill
2. Become an effective communicator and interviewer
3. Demonstrate leadership skills through questions
4. Enhance performance in the workplace
5. Form positive impressions in the workplace
1. Learn a lifelong skill
2. Become an effective communicator and interviewer
3. Demonstrate leadership skills through questions
4. Enhance performance in the workplace
5. Form positive impressions in the workplace
Methodology
The workshop will also be conducted in an interactive manner, infused with practical exercises, and embedded in spiral learning curriculum design methodology and in-class social learning systems. This allows for maximum engagement with students throughout the lesson.
Profile of Dr. Tan Kwan Hong
- International Speaker to 420,000+ People from 800+ Organizations in 40+ Countries
- Singapore Champion Public Speaker For 2017, 2-Time Singapore First Runner-Up
- PhD, MSc (Finance), MSc (HR), M.Ed., MMTM, MIT, MPM, PGDBA, GDTD, SDBA, BSc. (Economics), Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)
- ACTA Certified, MOE accredited, Google Certified Educator, Microsoft Education Expert Award Winner
Kwan Hong is passionate in helping professionals attain mastery in public speaking, personal peak performance and career growth. His highly rated workshops include: public speaking, business negotiation, interview skills, resume and cover letter writing, essential business etiquette, and finding your career passion.
With 12 years of training experience, Kwan Hong has personally conducted workshops or given speeches to over 200,000 people, 550 organizations and schools, in 15 countries. His clients include A*Star, AIA Singapore, AON Singapore, Alexandra Health, Citibank, DSTA, Ministry of Education (Singapore), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Vietnam), Land Transport Authority (LTA), Halogen Foundation, People’s Association, Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG), and the Young Men’s Christian Association.
Kwan Hong has been hired by organisations to coach their C-Suite Executives, Vice-Presidents, and Directors. He has also conducted group and individual coaching sessions for sales executives, negotiators, spokespersons, media relations executives and young professionals. Kwan Hong has also trained participants for international debate and public speaking competitions.
In 2017, Kwan Hong came out tops over 5000 contestants to become the Singapore Public Speaking Champion, awarded by Toastmasters International. He was ranked 2nd in Singapore for the Evaluation Speech Contest in 2016 and 2017. He was ranked top 7 in Singapore and Thailand in 2013. He was also awarded the Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM) title, the greatest honour that can be earned by a member of Toastmasters International, achieved by less than 1% out of 350,000+ members globally.
Kwan Hong has a PhD, 3 Masters degrees, and 3 Graduate Diplomas. He is also certified in high performance tools, such as Strong Interest Inventory, DISC, Enneagram, NLP, and Transformation Coaching.
