There are other ways to direct communication by asking the right questions. One is the “outcome frame.” If you ask someone what’s bothering him or what’s wrong, you’ll get a long dissertation on just that. If you ask, “What do you want?” or “How do you want to change things?” you’ve redirected your conversation from the problem to the solution. In any situation, no matter how dismal, there’s a desirable outcome to be achieved. Your goal should be to change direction toward that outcome and away from the problem.
