Replies

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  Jo Cook June 7, 2019 at 4:35pm

  Hi Venetia, 

  What a great question and really insightful too. 

  I must admit most of mine aren't planned these days but I do focus on trying to ask different ways. I can sometimes hear myself sayin the same things, or Mike will point out that I've said "I'd like to ask you a question..." three times running!

  Perhaps start with being as short and conscise as possible. I do this a bit sometimes and I hear it online, in interviews on TV and the radio and it drives me mad... it's asking the question, then someone going to answer, and the trainer/interviewer asking the question again, or adding more and talking over the guest. 

  So start with being super focused about how you want them to answer (the tech, unmute, in chat etc) as well as stating the question as simply as possible. Once you feel you've got that as natural as possible, I would then focus on broadening the questiions.

  Some examples I can think of:

  • "Please unmute and let us know your thoughts"
  • "Let's get you on mic"
  • "Bob we'd love to hear more about that, please unmute"
  • "Let's get Bob on the phone and hear more"
  • "Bob, can we get a bit more detail on that, please just unmute"

  And so on. 

  What other suggested do you guys have to help Venetia and all of us?
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    Vida Kwapong-Akuffo > Jo Cook June 17, 2019 at 3:46pm

    Hi Venetia

    My exact thoughts as Jo has shared. I think that sometimes we as facilitators are a bit too hard on ourselves. Just using different phrases as Jo has indicated works really well. 

    I use skype for Business a lot, and sometimes due to tech challenges, we have colleagues who can see the chat, but cannot be heard by others, and so will dial in by phone. So I would say things like:

    • "Let's hear those on the phone first, pls unmute and speak to us"
    • "I will read out your comments, if you prefer to use the chatbox"
    • and all of Jo's points above, really

    Cheers