What do Oprah Winfrey and Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air have in common?
They know how to connect with their interviewees and draw out fascinating stories and unexpected insights.
One of their most powerful tools? The follow-up question.
Years ago, as a newspaper reporter covering city council and school board meetings, I discovered the value of follow-up questions. Sometimes a clarifying question helped me understand what someone truly meant. Other times, a well-timed follow-up uncovered insights I would have missed.
The same approach works when interviewing project leads and clients in the A/E/C industry.
You don’t have to be a celebrity interviewer to uncover compelling stories. Start with thoughtful questions, listen closely, and follow up when something sparks your curiosity.
Start With Questions That Guide the Conversation
Before an interview, think about what you want to learn. A project description may tell you the scope, location, and services provided. An interview can reveal the decisions, challenges, and relationships behind that work.
For a project lead, questions might include:
- What problem was the client trying to solve?
- Why was this project important?
- What was the biggest challenge?
- How did your team solve the problem?
- How did the client or end user benefit?
- What did this project teach your team?
The client can offer another perspective:
- What concerns did you have before the project?
- Why did you choose this firm?
- What stood out about working with the team?
- How has the project benefited your organization or the end user?
These questions provide direction. But some of the most revealing details come from questions you couldn’t anticipate.
Let the Answers Lead You
Imagine a project lead tells you, “We had a schedule problem.”
You could jot that down and move to the next question. But you still wouldn’t know what happened or why anyone should care.
Instead, ask:
- “Tell me more.”
- “What caused the problem?”
- “What was at risk?”
- “How did your team solve it?”
- “What happened afterward?”
Ask one question at a time, letting each answer guide the next.
“What was at risk?” might reveal that the client needed a facility ready before a busy season. “How did your team solve it?” could uncover a decision that required coordination among several disciplines. “What happened afterward?” helps establish the result.
Now you have the elements of a story: a challenge, meaningful stakes, actions, and an outcome.
Turn Praise Into Specifics
Client interviews offer similar opportunities.
“They were great to work with” is encouraging feedback. But what does “great” mean to that client?
Don’t stop there. Ask:
- “What made them great to work with?”
- “Can you give me an example?”
- “How did that compare to previous experiences?”
- “What difference did that make?”
Perhaps the team anticipated a concern, explained a complicated decision, or kept the client informed when plans changed.
Listen for general words such as “responsive,” “innovative,” or “collaborative.” Each creates an opportunity to ask, “What did that look like on this project?”
Specific examples help prospective clients understand what working with your firm might be like. They’re also more persuasive than broad claims about excellent service.
Listen for Hidden Stories
Good follow-up questions require attention. If you’re concentrating on the next item on your list, you may miss a comment worth exploring.
When someone says, “That was the turning point,” ask what changed. When they mention a difficult decision, ask what options they considered and why they chose that approach.
You can also invite a specific memory:
- “What’s the story you tell coworkers about this project?”
- “What moment made you proud?”
- “Can you walk me through what happened?”
Give people time to think. A pause may allow them to recall a detail they hadn’t considered when they first answered.
Stay curious and avoid suggesting the answer you hope to hear. Instead of asking, “Did that make your work easier?” ask “How did that affect your work?” The second version gives the interviewee room to describe the experience in their own words.
Leave Room for Surprises
As the interview winds down, resist the urge to close your notebook immediately.
Your prepared questions reflect what you knew before the conversation. The interviewee may have something important to share that you never thought of asking, such as:
- “What haven’t I asked that you think is important?”
- “If someone remembered only one thing about this project, what should it be?”
These closing questions can uncover an overlooked challenge, an unexpected benefit, or a moment that captures why the project mattered.
Dig Deeper for Stronger Results
The next time a project lead mentions a challenge or a client offers a compliment, don’t rush to the next question.
Ask for an example. Find out what was at stake, what happened, and what changed.
The first answer may give you the facts. The follow-up question may give you the story.
Those stories show prospective clients how your firm approaches challenges and delivers results and give them reasons to choose you.
Showcase Your Firm’s Best Stories
I interview technical professionals and clients to uncover the challenges, decisions, and results that make A/E/C project stories compelling. Then I turn those conversations into case studies, project profiles, and other marketing content that helps your firm demonstrate its expertise and build trust with prospective clients.
I also offer presentations to help A/E/C teams uncover and preserve their best stories.
Let’s talk about the stories your firm could be sharing.
Learn More
Want to learn more about storytelling, case studies and other communications for A/E/C industries? A/E/C Connect is my newsletter. Subscribe on LinkedIn to be the first to see each new entry. If you have a challenge or question you would like me to address, contact me at blaizecommunications@gmail.com.
