5 Essential Questions for Managers to Ask their Staff
March 28, 2024 | By David M. Wagner
“He’s really excited to have you in his department!”
I was skeptical.
The two division managers sitting in front me were trying to assure me (and several of my colleagues, in turn) that this reorganization, which would move us from one manager’s division into the other’s, was a good thing.
Other concerns aside, this assertion that my new supervisor-to-be was “excited” to have me on his team caused me to raise an eyebrow.
“Really?” I asked. “That’s surprising. Because he knows nothing about me. We’ve never met.”
The Fiction of the Anonymous Automatons
A recurring theme on Lens on Leadership is that people aren’t robots. And yet, we persist in acting – or treating others – like machines whose only purpose is to serve a job function.
“Now wait,” I hear you say, “I don’t treat my team like that!”
I don’t think any of us intends to. And yet, many common structures (rigid job titles and roles), policies (limitations on sick leave), and cultural norms (“professionalism”) de-humanize our workplaces.
I’m not suggesting we dismantle these structures, policies, or norms. (At least, not in this article…) My point: it takes intention to really treat people as something more than anonymous machines.
Key Things to Know
People thrive when they feel seen, heard, and like their voice matters.
Getting to know the people who work for you is essential to making them feel seen. Here are some essential questions to ask:
How does working here fulfill what’s important to you? Listen for the values that underlie their identity. That way, you can help them find values-aligned roles and ways of working.
What do you hope to accomplish? Don’t limit this conversation to career goals. What are their personal aspirations that their career will help them support? Look for opportunities to improve alignment between individual goals and the organization’s.
What helps you thrive? What’s their working style? Preferred environment? Do they need your guidance and mentorship, opportunities to shine, or just for you to get out of the way?
How do you prefer to receive feedback? Would they prefer your feedback be direct, or indirect? Blunt, or use a softer touch? (Not giving feedback is not an option!)
What else can you do? People don’t always fit perfectly into our prescriptive job roles and titles. You may learn that there’s a better role for someone, or that they would be excited to bring a creative new dimension to their job.
That was true for my new supervisor, who scheduled a one-on-one meeting almost immediately after my conversation with the two directors. He learned that I could bring a completely different type of value to the team than he had assumed!
I coach leaders on skills like these that put people first, which is critical to creating a strategic organization. Set a free consult to get started making yours a workplace where humans – not robots – thrive.