Ask your leaders: “If you had my job, what would you change?”
We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this question with your leaders to either discover a blind-spot or confirm a suspicion. However, this is such a risky question that it could also have the following benefits: -Discover the priorities of your leaders. -Find leaders who are willing to be direct and honest with you. -Prove that you are a listener. -Receive some direct feedback.
More thoughts about asking this question:
This question is great for challenging your leaders to think strategically. Unfortunately, many in leadership appear to have all the answers or, at least, they feel that they should have the answers. This attitude affects your team. It can cause them to stop thinking strategically about the whole business. When this happens, silos are prevalent. Invite your leaders to your seat on the bus and learn something from their view of the whole business. You may think this is a risky question, but you may discover that the greater danger is when we don’t ask powerful questions like this one.
Share this article and tell about your experience!
What Could We Change to Increase Employee Longevity?
Ask your leaders: "What could we change to increase employee longevity?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Ask your leaders this question to begin a conversation about employee engagement. As you dig deeper into the implications of this question, you...
How Do You Encourage Creative Thinking Within Your Team?
Ask your leaders: "How do you encourage creative thinking within your team?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Ask your leaders this question to encourage innovation. Organizations are typically more task and operationally biased. Taking time and...
If You Could Have Any Role in Your Organization, What Would It Be?
Ask your leaders: “If you could have any role in our organization, what would it be?” We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Asking this question does not require you to act upon it. The point of the question is to understand the aspirations of your...
If you owned the business, what’s one thing you would do differently?
Ask your leaders: "If you owned the business, what's one thing you would do differently?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Are you brave? This question will test your courage, but the results can be powerful. You could (and possibly should)...
What part of your job do you need help with?
Ask your leaders: "What part of your job do you need help with?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this question with your leaders express empathy and value to your leaders. There is a risk that the leader may receive this question negatively....
How Do You Measure Success?
Ask your leaders: "How do you measure success?” We believe that great leaders ask great questions. When you use this question with your leaders, it will open up a conversation around how your leaders reach for results. Success is an incredibly subjective concept. Each...
What Would You like to Happen that Is Not Happening Now?
Ask your leaders: "What would you like to happen that is not happening now, or what would you not like to happen that is happening now?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this question to open up a dialogue about their frustrations. Even if you...
How Would You Prefer to Be Communicated With?
Ask your leaders: "How do you prefer to be communicated with? How often? We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this question with your leaders to understand their communication style better. You may find that you can reduce an area of frustration for...
Describe Courage in Your Workplace.
Ask your leaders to: "Describe courage in our workplace." We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this request with your leaders to measure courage in your organization. You may discover new courageous behaviors. If you do, take the opportunity to...
If Our Competition Were to Put Us Out of Business, What Would They Have to Do?
Ask your leaders: "If our competition were to put us out of business, what would they have to do?" We believe that great leaders ask great questions. Use this question with your leaders to challenge them toward excellence. Running a race with competitors pushes...