SEVEN POWERS OF QUESTIONS --- SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION
IN LIFE AND AT WORK by Dorothy Leeds. Perigee, 2000
FORWARD (pxi-xvii)
PREFACE (pxiii-xx)
1) Why a book about questions (p1-14)
2) POWER NUMBER ONE --- Questions demand answers! (p15-35)
3) POWER NUMBER TWO --- Questions stimulate thinking! (p36-60)
4) POWER NUMBER THREE --- Questions give us valuable information! (p61-88)
5) POWER NUMBER FOUR --- Questions put you in control! (p89-109)
6) POWER NUMBER FIVE --- Questions get people to open up! (p110-130)
[1] Emotional questions, revealing answers (p110-113)
[2] The "let's talk about me" factor (p113-115)
[3] Pursuing the reluctant talker (p116)
[4] Look for areas of comfort and confidence (p116-118)
[5] Why don't we open up more? (p118-121)
(1) We don't have a clear idea what the problem is (p119)
(2) We have been hurt in the past (p119-120)
(3) We feel there is a penalty in telling the truth (p120)
(4) We are afraid of being judged (p120-121)
(5) We feel our ideas are not appreciated (p121)
[6] Questions show that you care --- listening to answers and building one question on another (p122-124)
[7] Put your body into it (p125-126)
[8] Opening up techniques (p126-127)
(1) Develop a good rapport (p126)
(2) Start with broad, open questions (p126)
(3) Save the most difficult questions for late in the conversation (p127)
(4) Use nonverbal signals to indicate interest (p126-127)
[9] Truth, lies, and opening up (p128-130)
7) POWER NUMBER SIX --- Questions lead to quality listening! (p131-156)
8) POWER NUMBER SEVEN --- Questions get people to pursuade themselves! (p157-168)
9) SELL, LEAD, THINK --- Use questions to transform your organization! (p169-215)
[1] The thinking organization (p169-171)
[2] Questions as a catalyst for change (p171-173)
[3] The sales team led the way (p173-174)
[4] A question of values (p174-177)
[5] Simple steps toward a questioning culture (p177-179)
(1) Model the questioning culture (p177)
(2) Build questioning into every business activity (p177)
(3) Create multiple platforms for asking and answering (p177-178)
[6] Sell better --- change your definition (p179-182)
[7] Questions can transform your salespeople (p182-183)
[8] Selling and the seven powers --- Always be conversing, clarifying, connecting, gaining commitment, and closing! (p183-187)
[9] Qualify with quality, close with quantity (p187-189)
[10] An objection is an unaswered question (p190-192)
[11] Using questions to close the deal (p192-195)
[12] Probing the mind of the market (p195-198)
[13] Everyone is a salesperson! (p198)
[14] The leadership power of questions (p198-199)
[15] Hire people who ask questions --- force them to think (p199-201)
[16] Influencing behavior --- training and mentoring --- questions are the catalyst (p201-204)
[17] The art of mentoring (p204-206)
[18] Learn to love meetings (p206-210)
[19] On-the-job creativity and the power of questions (p210-213)
[20] Brainstorm with yourself (p213-215)
10) Closer knit than ever --- How questions can draw families together (p216-243)
11) Rediscover questions --- recapture and redefine the essential you (p244-270)
12) The fifty smartest questions (p271-279)
SUGGESTED READING (p280-283)
POSTSCRIPT (p284-286)
INDEX (p287-298)
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY (p299)
Return to intro essay #1: Focus on the Self-Liberation Philosophy and Strategy
Return to skill-set #5: Your Smart Self-Talk Skills
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