Great Questions to Ask When Networking

At Tile Hill, we talk a lot about conversation, connection, and storytelling - and it’s no surprise, given they’re at the heart of what we do. Whether it’s between a candidate and a client, a consultant and a leader, or colleagues across the business, every meaningful partnership starts with a good conversation - and often, a great story.

But sometimes, sparking those conversations isn’t easy. Especially in formal networking situations, when you’re meeting a lot of new people. It’s something I’ve struggled with myself, even as an extrovert and someone who trained in journalism before starting my career in marketing. I’ve had to practice it as a skill, and it’s a muscle I still need to flex regularly.

The Art of Great Conversation

When my team and I were sat in the rooftop event space of the Pavilion Club planning our annual get-together for candidates and clients, we spent a lot of time thinking about how to facilitate conversations and bring people across different parts of the public sector together. Somewhere between measuring how many metres of bunting we’d need and debating canapés, we realised that all great conversations come down to one thing: great questions.

The only question that remained for us to answer that day was: how are we going to help people ask great questions?

The Wheel of Conversation

Like any creative marketing team, we floated plenty of ideas and eventually landed on creating our very own Wheel of Conversation. A colourful spin-the-wheel table-top game filled with questions designed to break the ice, spark laughter and uncover something real about the person across from you.

We bought the wheels, designed the cards and instructions and dotted them around the event space in the spots where people were most likely to gather.

Not only did everyone have fun pretending they were on a retro gameshow, but the conversations flowed. Teams mixed, laughter spread, and people left saying they’d connected in ways they hadn’t before -  not just about life as a public sector leader, but about what makes them tick.

The Questions

I thought you might like to discover the questions that really resonated on the night. Here are a few of our favourites from the Wheel (and a few extras) to inspire your next conversation.

Career Journeys

Questions that draw out career journeys and pivotal moments.

1. What’s a surprising turn your career has taken?
2. Who gave you your first real break, and how did it shape you?
3. If you could go back, what’s one career decision you’d make differently?
4. What role has most shaped the leader you are today?

Big Challenges & Lessons

Questions that open up real-world experience and resilience.

1. What’s the hardest decision you’ve had to make as a leader?
2. When things go wrong, what’s your first instinct for getting back on track?
3. What’s a mistake that taught you more than a success ever could?
4. How do you keep perspective in the face of political or organisational pressure?

Future & Big Ideas

Forward-looking, creative questions that spark big conversations.

1. What’s one bold change you’d like to see across the whole public sector, not just your area?
2. What’s the boldest idea you’ve ever seen work?
3. What innovation excites you most about the future of public service?
4. In ten years, what do you hope people will say about your impact?

Love The Impact You Make

Questions that tap into values, motivation, and influence.

1. When have you felt proudest of the impact you’ve made in public service?
2. Whose life or career have you seen change because of your work?
3. What’s a piece of feedback you’ll never forget because it showed you the difference you made?
4. When you look back in 20 years, what do you hope people will say about your contribution?

Personal Insights

Questions that let us know who you are inside and outside of work.

1. What’s a skill you use at work that no one expects?
2. What’s something you’re great at but rarely talk about?
3. What energises you outside of work that people might not know?
4. What’s your ‘work alter ego’ - the role you naturally play in a team?

Take a 'spin' on the wheel during your next conversation

Whether you’re meeting someone new at an event, catching up with a colleague, or chatting with a potential future leader, the right question can turn a polite exchange into something meaningful.

At Tile Hill, that’s what we care about most and I see it everyday across the whole team - creating the space for genuine conversation, where people feel seen, heard, and inspired to make an impact in their careers.

So next time you find yourself at a networking event, skip the “So, what do you do?” and spin your own version of the Wheel. You might just start the conversation that changes everything.