How to Use a Questioning Approach to Emphasize Internal comms as a Strategic Function
Questions have power. They show interest, open conversations, and make people think. Learning how to ask questions was one of the first things I was taught as a journalism student in my undergraduate program. Of course, there were the 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and the H (How), but even more important was the lesson to be thoughtful with your questions. Ask questions with your audience in mind: Who are they? What’s most important to them? And don’t fear silence. If someone is slow to answer, let the silence hang. Don’t get anxious and try to fill it yourself—take a deep breath and wait.
Asking questions (and a lot of them) is key to being an effective internal communication professional. We have to put ourselves in our audience’s shoes, understanding their routines, behaviors, and what matters most to them. This is where a questioning approach is beneficial—it involves consistently asking thoughtful questions to better understand employee needs, uncover potential issues, and tailor communication strategies for greater impact.
Here are some of my favorite questions to ask in a variety of IC contexts.
When Interviewing for an IC Role
“What problems are you trying to solve with this role?”
The response will be a great indicator of how the organization values IC, what their vision is for it, and most importantly, if they understand why they’re trying to fill this role.
“What do you see as the value of internal communication?”
If the response sounds eerily like “copy-paste-send factory,” run—don’t walk—away. Listen for clear objectives and an understanding that it’s a strategic, proactive role that can drive business results.“What does success look like for this role?”
The answer to this question should never be, “That’s what we’re hoping the candidate will determine.” There should be clear, realistic expectations about what the role can achieve, like coaching leaders to become more effective communicators or setting organizational standards for what effective communication looks like here.
When Guiding Leaders on Their Roles in IC
“What are your current self-expectations as a communicator?”
This question sets the stage for understanding a leader’s personal communication standards and how they currently perceive their role in IC.“How does your current communication style align with your leadership goals?”
This question helps leaders reflect on whether their communication style supports their broader leadership objectives, prompting them to consider adjustments for greater alignment.“What are your main strategic priorities at the moment?”
This question ties communication to the leader’s strategic goals, emphasizing how effective communication can drive those priorities forward.
When Developing an IC Strategy
There’s often confusion about what a strategy is versus a plan. A strategy covers what we’re trying to do and why, while a plan addresses the tactical how. As you develop your strategy, ask:
What is the organization’s mission, vision, and values?
How do we make money?
What are the organization’s near- and long-term objectives?
Understanding what the organization is trying to achieve helps us align our IC objectives accordingly.
When Developing an IC Plan
Remember, this is the tactical extension of an IC strategy. You’ll create more plans than strategies. These questions can also help when working with internal partners on various requests. A quick way to break this down is to revisit the 5 W’s and H from journalism:
What are the objectives for this?
Who is our audience?
When will this impact the audience?
Where is the impacted audience (specific location, type of work)?
Why does this matter to the audience?
How will we reach the audience?
How will we measure success? Think outcomes and outputs for this one.
By asking the right questions at every stage—whether you're developing a strategy, guiding leaders, or crafting a plan—you can elevate internal communication from a tactical function to a strategic driver of organizational success. Remember, the power of a questioning approach lies in its ability to uncover insights, align efforts, and ultimately, make a meaningful impact.
