3 Questions to Ask Staff (and 3 for you, too!)
Leadership, particularly in teams of skilled workers, is less about imparting knowledge and more about unleashing it.
With the holidays a recent memory and coworkers filtering through unread emails after their much-deserved winter breaks, now is the time to have a one-on-one with the people you work with to kick 2023 off with the right foot (or the left, if you prefer... *Ba-dum-CHA!*).
Unsure of where to start? These 3 questions will guide you through a meaningful conversation that leads to higher levels of trust, understanding, empathy, vision, and connection.
What excites you about 2023; both personally and professionally?
How did we succeed in 2022, and how can we do more of that this year?
What can we do (you and me, as a team) to help maximize your learning, engagement, and output this year?
Seem like a daunting task? Here are a few reminders to help:
It’s not a pop quiz! Do you remember the feeling you would get in the pit of your stomach when your teacher surprised you with a test? Did it actually help you convey your learnings, or were they masked by fear, unpreparedness, and disdain for the process? Make sure your team knows you will be asking them these questions so they can prepare as much (or as little) as they feel they need to in order to get the most out of the conversation
Don’t ‘should’ all over people! Saying what ‘should’ we do creates a very different, much less positive, vibe than what ‘could’ we do, or what ‘might’ we do. The slight language change also allows people to suggest new ways to accomplish work!
Alignment check! When it comes to car wheels, an alignment check makes sure they’re pulling in the same direction, right? As a leader, you need to ensure that what you say you celebrate and what you actually celebrate are aligned to see the best results. Unsure if you check the box? Ask yourself these 3 questions:
Where do I spend my time, and what do I let fall off my calendar when things get busy?
What were the last 3 things I celebrated someone on my team for? Group it into the categories of project outcome, learning outcome, innovative thinking, emotional intelligence, or teamwork. Does that ratio support the outcomes I want to encourage?
What might each member of my team say if asked if my actions live up to my words? (Yup, even the team members you feel you don’t jive with)
Save the answers to these questions and come back to them at least 2x more this year. You’ll be amazed at how much you have to celebrate!
