Closed questions are those that can be answered by either “yes” or “no,” or with a specific bit of data, such as your name, date of birth, occupation, etc. These questions restrict our responses and give us little opportunity to develop our thoughts. As a result, they require little effort and can even close down a conversation.

Closed questions tend to be over-used, partially because they require very little effort on the questioner’s part as well. They are easy to phrase and we get quick answers. Unfortunately, such questions also can lead us to assume, and assumptions can be big barriers to good communication.