Help us build World-Class Leader! We’re on a mission to impact 1,000 leaders with the World-Class Leader Newsletter.

There’s at least one leader in your circle that can benefit from getting this weekly newsletter and leveling up their leadership.

If there’s a leader on your team that would benefit from learning about asking the right questions, please invite them to be a part of this community.

September 26th, 2023

READ TIME: 2 minute 30 seconds

I like to ask a lot o questions.

I’ve always been that curious kid all my life. Yes the one that is asking the teacher all the questions. That kid.

One thing I’ve learned from being so curious is that people don’t always like questions. I can see people tense up when I ask, “How are you really?” to their standard “Good.” response to my, “How are you?”

And the purpose for the follow up questions are because:

• Following up exposes truth.

• Measuring = the ability to take action

When it comes to leading people, you have to lead with the same approach.

We’ve talked about how to build great relationships with your team, let’s take it a step further by taking a step back.

I didn’t just want me asking my teams questions to be in passing, so I put together questions that any leader can ask their team quarterly (or if they haven’t in a while) to get a feel for where they are at in specific areas.

You can’t change what you don’t measure, and you can’t measure what you don’t ask.

The 10 Questions to Temp For Your Team

Asking these questions is all about getting a feel for how things have been going for my team recently. Leading a team is not just motivation and it’s not just feedback.

So I like to ask a couple of questions over an arching range of categories to get a true feel for how my team is feeling and where improvements can be made.

When asking these questions, put them on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 being strongly disagree, 5 being strongly agree. I do this so that I can easily put it in a trackable spreadsheet.

Below is the questions I ask with a breakdown of what to look for and why you’re asking them.

Leadership & Support

• "Lately, I’ve felt supported and empowered by our leaders to accomplish tasks effectively."

• “I feel comfortable expressing my concerns and ideas to our leaders, knowing they will listen and provide guidance.”

Breakdown: Feeling supported and empowered by our leaders creates a strong foundation for success. When we have trust and backing from our leaders, we're more likely to feel connected to the bigger picture and motivated to give our best efforts.

Communication & Information Flow

• "I feel that our communication channels are clear and open, facilitating seamless information flow within the team and with my leaders."

• "I actively seek to share important updates and information with my team to keep everyone informed and aligned."

Breakdown: Clear and open communication channels ensure that we're all on the same page and connected to the broader objectives. When we prioritize seamless information flow, we enhance our ability to make informed decisions and align our actions with the collective goals, ultimately maximizing our impact.

Feedback & Growth

• "I receive regular, constructive feedback that aids in my growth and performance improvement."

• "I actively seek feedback from my peers and team members to enhance my skills and knowledge."

Breakdown: Regular, constructive feedback is like a compass guiding our growth journey. It keeps us connected to the meaningful work we do by highlighting areas where we can improve.

Clarity of Expectations

• "I have a clear understanding of our team goals and expectations, which helps me prioritize and focus on what is expected of me."

• "I ensure that team members have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, aligning them with our team's objectives."

Breakdown: Understanding our team's goals and expectations is akin to knowing the path we're traveling. It allows us to focus on what truly matters, align our energies, and avoid unnecessary detours. This clarity ensures that our work contributes meaningfully to the overarching objectives.

Motivation & Engagement

• "I find motivation and engagement in my work, which positively impacts my productivity and contributes to our team outcomes."

• "I actively seek opportunities to recognize and appreciate the efforts and achievements of my team members."

Breakdown: Staying motivated and engaged fuels our sense of purpose in the grand scheme of things. It's like the engine propelling us toward our objectives. When we're inspired and invested in our work, we're better positioned to create a positive impact, not only for ourselves but for the team and organization as a whole.

What’s next?

Once you’ve gathered responses from your team, add them to a spreadsheet with your categories at the top, questions below and 1-5 responses below each one.

1’s and 2’s are red.

3’s are neutral.

4’s and 5’s are green.

When you see all of your responses laid out, you’ll have a great idea of where things can be improved.

Dave Kline call’s this a heat map. Check out his example below.

Doing this isn’t just checking the box. It shows you tangibly where things could be improved and lay the ground work for success.

I hope this helped!

Until next time,

Pierre Inspires

Go Deeper on This Topic

📰 Team Temp Check

📖 Michael Marquardt’s “Leading with Questions: How leaders Discover Powerful Answers by knowing How and What to Ask”

WAYS I CAN HELP YOU WHEN YOU’RE READY

If you didn’t hear, my book “21 Ways to Effective Leadership” is now available for order! I know this book will help many of you on your leadership journey.

So many people have taken the opportunity to grab this book and take the step into WORLD-CLASS leadership. It’s your turn! ORDER HERE

👉 Follow me on Twitter for daily leadership advice & personal development.

👉 Let’s be friends on social — Check out my links!

👉 Got a question? Send me an email, ask me anything!

I hope this helps you or a leader in your circle.

Until next time, PierreInspires

P.S. If you have any questions, thoughts, or additional stories to share, please don't hesitate to reach out. Let's support and learn from each other as we strive to become the best leaders we can be. Why every comicPart The