Seven Simple Questions that Every Leader Must Answer for an Engaged Team

Engaging and mobilizing your team can feel like a daunting challenge. However, we have found that a few simple behaviors can make a huge difference and improve engagement.

It is frustrating to have to read minds

For instance, many team members/employees are frustrated because they feel like they have to read their leader’s mind. They don’t know how they are doing and how they can do better. The annual performance review is sometimes their only chance to find out, and that event is so stressful and formal that the environment is not conducive for making improvements.

Spans of control contribute to the problem

This situation is not completely the fault of leadership. In some organizations, spans of control have become so large that leaders have to complete another formal performance reviews every three or four days. 

The solutions are simpler than you might think

There are many simple strategies to engage and mobilize team members/employees. They cost almost nothing to implement, can be put into place immediately, and have huge impact.

For instance, one opportunity that many leaders have – even at the C-level – is to give more frequent, informal feedback about how each team member/employee is doing. That way, everyone in an organization knows what is expected of them and how they can get better.

The seven questions

There are seven simple questions every leader must answer and communicate to team members/employees. As with advertising, frequency counts. Small, informal conversations about performance go a long way – especially when they include teachable moments about different situations and details. The questions include:

What do I expect from you?

What are you doing well?

What, if anything, can you do better?

What, if anything, do I want you to do better?

(If appropriate): What will happen if you improve (e.g., more responsibility, more time with leadership, more desirable assignments)?

(If appropriate): What will happen if you don’t improve?

How can I help?

While all of these questions are important, the last question is especially important. It shows the team member/employee that the leader cares, and is not merely abdicating responsibility or shifting blame.

For more information about engaging and mobilizing team members/employees, and to take a free self-assessment about how well you are engaging and mobilizing, click here.