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  • March 2018
  • Exercise

Does It Hurt To Ask?

By: Alison Wood Brooks
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:22
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Abstract

Does It Hurt To Ask? (DIHTA) is an interactive exercise that pairs students (in groups of two) for a brief, spontaneous, open-ended conversation during class. Each student is given instructions to ask many questions (as many as possible) or few questions (ideally zero) during their conversation (resulting in some high-high questioning pairs, some low-low questioning pairs, and some high-low questioning pairs). The exercise is flexible—it can stand on its own for a whole class session (taking 60-90 minutes), or it can be used to supplement other material within the same class session (taking as little as 30 minutes total). This teaching note provides step-by-step instructions to administer the exercise in class. The goals of the exercise are to examine how asking questions during conversation influences interpersonal perception, information exchange, decision making, productivity, as well as relationships and happiness over time—to weigh the pros and cons of asking questions versus making statements in conversation. While there are many reasons people don’t ask questions (such as egocentrism, anxiety, apathy, and ignorance), those who can become talented question askers stand to learn more information, to be better liked, and to have more influence than those who do not.

Keywords

Interpersonal Communication; Communication Strategy; Perception; Information; Power and Influence

Citation

Brooks, Alison Wood. "Does It Hurt To Ask?" Harvard Business School Exercise 918-037, March 2018.
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About The Author

Alison Wood Brooks

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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More from the Author
  • The Conversational Circumplex: Identifying, Prioritizing, and Pursuing Informational and Relational Motives in Conversation By: Michael Yeomans, Maurice E. Schweitzer and Alison Wood Brooks
  • Feeling Seen: Leader Eye Gaze Promotes Psychological Safety, Participation, and Voice By: Nicole Abi-Esber, Alison Wood Brooks and Ethan Burris
  • What Is Your Status Portfolio? Higher Status Variance across Groups Increases Interpersonal Helping but Decreases Intrapersonal Well-being By: Catarina R. Fernandes, Siyu Yu, Taeya M. Howell, Alison Wood Brooks, Gavin J. Kilduff and Nathan C. Pettit
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