We've all been there before. It's a couple of minutes or hours after a meeting, conversation or even an argument, and we say to ourselves, "Why didn't I ask that question?" or, "I can't believe I forgot to say that!"

As we all work to hone our research skills, we come across questions that seem to work very well for us. They engage the contact or coach, challenge them to think about their answer, and result in us gathering good information or insight. But even the best interviewer can have this experience after a research meeting.

Often, at the end of a research meeting, we are looking for a good concluding question that can help us minimize this potential frustration. Here are a couple of versions of a question that can really come in handy:


What question haven't I asked today that I should have?
If you were me, what question would you now be asking?
What question have I forgotten to ask so far that I need to ask now?
What question will I kick myself later for forgetting to ask?


These are great questions for a few reasons. First, they are catchall questions. Any question and answer is appropriate. We don't have to worry about skipping around or the flow of the call. Second, if the contact is engaged, they will be raising questions and issues that are important to them, which is insightful in its own right. Lastly, this will provide a forum for the contact to bring up some potentially sensitive and insightful topics.

Of course, this question may also show us if the contact's not engaged. If they respond by saying something like, "I think you asked all the right questions", that may be a clear indication. If that happens, push back a little. Ask a different version of the question, and gauge the response. If you get the same type of answer, either they aren't truly engaged or you just conducted an awesome research meeting!