Use Body Language to Enhance Your Questions

This Element is an excerpt from The Art of Asking: Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers (9780137144242) by Terry J. Fadem. Available in print and digital formats.

Improve your questioning skills by making sure your body language aligns with your words.

Body language, hand gestures, and facial expressions are all signals. The signals you send are as important as your words. Hands–open palms up, palms down, fist pounding, prayerful, folded–play a major role;–just be sure your hand signals are consistent with your questions. Don’t send mixed signals. Here are five ways managers misuse hand signals….