3.3 Active listening and follow-up questioning techniques

Active listening and follow-up questioning are vital skills for journalists. They help build rapport, uncover deeper insights, and ensure accurate understanding during interviews. By mastering these techniques, reporters can gather richer information and create more compelling stories.

Effective interviewers balance structure with flexibility. They prepare key questions but remain adaptable, following unexpected leads when valuable. This approach allows for both focused inquiry and spontaneous discoveries, maximizing the potential of each interview.

Active Listening for Understanding

Techniques for Effective Active Listening

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• Give the speaker undivided attention and focus on comprehending the message, responding thoughtfully, and remembering what is being said
• Make eye contact, avoid distractions, observe body language, refrain from interrupting, paraphrase to confirm understanding, and ask clarifying questions to demonstrate genuine interest and engagement
• Use empathetic and reflective listening skills to acknowledge emotions, identify key themes, and probe to uncover deeper meaning behind the words being said

Benefits of Active Listening in Interviews

• Builds trust and rapport with the interviewee, making them feel heard and understood
  • Fosters more open and honest communication that yields richer insights
• Enables effective note-taking to capture key points (keywords, quotes, themes) for follow-up while still remaining present and engaged in the conversation

Recognizing Verbal and Nonverbal Cues

Interpreting Verbal Cues

• Analyze spoken words and voice qualities (tone, pitch, pace, volume, inflection, word choice) that provide insight into the interviewee's thoughts, feelings, and intentions
• Pick up on subtle cues, such as hesitations, inconsistencies, or overgeneralizations, to identify opportunities to dig deeper into the most relevant or revealing topics

Decoding Nonverbal Communication

• Observe body language signals (facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, physical distance) that can reinforce or contradict the spoken message
  • Reading nonverbal cues provides a deeper understanding of the interviewee's comfort level, emotions, and engagement
• Recognize incongruence between verbal and nonverbal communication (saying "I'm fine" while appearing tense) to identify deeper issues to explore through follow-up questions
• Interpret clusters of cues, rather than isolated signals, for a more reliable understanding of the interviewee's state (crossed arms + minimal eye contact + terse responses = likely discomfort with topic)
• Monitor own nonverbal communication to ensure open posture, appropriate eye contact, and relaxed body language that creates a safe and comfortable environment

Effective Follow-up Questioning Techniques

Types of Follow-up Questions

• Use open-ended questions starting with "what," "how," or "why" to encourage detailed and thoughtful responses with richer information compared to closed-ended "yes/no" questions
• Ask probing questions to explore topics in greater depth by requesting more details, examples, or explanations ("Tell me more about..." or "Can you give me an example of...")
• Employ clarifying questions to ensure accurate understanding and clear up confusion or ambiguity by paraphrasing or summarizing the interviewee's words ("What I'm hearing is... Is that correct?")
• Pose challenging questions that respectfully point out inconsistencies, contradictions, or flaws in logic by gently presenting counterarguments or alternative perspectives to stimulate deeper reflection
  • Maintain a neutral, non-confrontational tone to encourage further explanation without attacking or discrediting

Strategic Use of Follow-up Questions

• Redirect the conversation to stay on track or steer it in a new direction by bridging to a related topic, calling back to an earlier point, or introducing a new line of inquiry
• Demonstrate active listening and genuine engagement through well-timed follow-up questions
  • Allow a beat of silence before responding to give the interviewee a chance to collect their thoughts and continue speaking

Interview Focus vs Flexibility

Maintaining Interview Structure and Control

• Prepare a clear agenda and set of key questions beforehand to provide structure, ensure important topics are covered, and keep the conversation on track
• Establish and share objectives upfront with the interviewee to clarify desired outcomes, manage expectations, and guide the discussion
• Employ effective time management techniques to maintain control and cover all necessary ground
  • Set time limits for each topic, politely interrupt tangents, and keep an eye on the clock

Allowing for Adaptability and Spontaneity

• Demonstrate flexibility to allow for unexpected insights or detours that may arise
  • Follow the interviewee's lead when appropriate to uncover valuable information that may have been missed in a rigid approach
• Balance open-ended exploration with specific, focused questioning to maximize the depth and breadth of the interview
  • Know when to let the conversation flow freely and when to rein it in
• Use active listening and skillful follow-up questions to guide the discussion while still being responsive to the interviewee's needs
  • Adapt in the moment to foster a more dynamic and productive dialogue
• Maintain composure and professionalism to keep the interview on course, even in the face of challenging or emotional topics
  • Demonstrate empathy and respect to build trust and keep the conversation constructive