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CS Professional · Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation · Negotiation Skills and Communication

A mediator asks a party, "What would a good settlement of this dispute look like for your business over the next two years?" The question is best described as:

It is an open-ended question. It cannot be answered with yes or no, does not steer the party toward a particular reply, and invites the party to describe needs and desired outcomes, which helps the mediator explore underlying interests and generate settlement options.

  1. AA closed question seeking a yes or no answer
  2. BA leading question suggesting the preferred answer
  3. CAn open-ended question that explores interests and optionsCorrect
  4. DA rhetorical question not expecting any reply

Explanation

The question begins with "what" and invites a descriptive reply about the party's needs and future, so it is open-ended. It does not suggest an answer and cannot be answered by yes or no. It is also meant to be answered, so it is not rhetorical.

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