At work, should you ask open-ended questions in the wrong tone of voice? Of course you should! That is, if you are a “real” manager. It’s your job to put employees on the spot and trip them up. How else will you know what’s really going on?

Hang on, hang on. If that’s your go-to questioning style, then maybe you could be making things worse. Not sure what I mean? Well, I don’t know how you react to open-ended questions asked in a certain tone of voice, but below is how I feel about them.

Are You Asking for Workplace Wrangling and Social Strife?

“What are you doing on Saturday?” As a once eligible bachelor (of course I was), I dreaded this question. There was always the risk that if I answered “nothing”, they would then ask me to do something I might not enjoy.

Even though I have not dated in ages, I still get annoyed when asked this question.

Open-ended questions create social disharmony. These questions don’t allow us room to maneuver. Considerate people always ask bluntly the question inconsiderate people only ask after you declare you are doing… “nothing.”

Rather ask bluntly, or bravely, “Will you have dinner with me on Saturday?” Then I can decide whether I am already otherwise engaged, or whether it is worth the danger of asking my wife’s permission to be alone with you.

Come to think of it, I wish my wife would stop asking “What are you doing on Saturday?” in that tone of voice.

Welcome to my side of the nonsense divide.