When you were an individual contributor you try to have all the answers. When you’re a leader your job is to have all the questions.
Jack Welch
I love this quote from Jack Welch. I have been fortunate to have this modeled throughout my life and ministry. I had the privilege of being asked great questions with my folks first. Though my dad was a strong, driven, directive leader, I remember his direction being seasoned with asking for feedback (at least most of the time and with increasing frequency as I grew older!) I had youth pastors who called me out as a leader and invited me into the role not just to fill a slot but inform the direction of our ministry. This continued through my mentor, Steve Moore, who’s investment in me began in college and continues to this day over 40 years later. And I would be remiss to not mention by former boss, current colleague and forever friend, Dave Travis.
All that said, I am a collector of questions. They have been the backbone of leadership as God has used me as a spouse, parent, leader, team member, coach and consultant. Following are some of my favorite sets.
Questions to ask yourself as leader:
Where do the great ideas come from in your organization?
As an organization gets larger there can be a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration.” How do we keep this from happening?
Do you set aside specific times to cast vision to your employees and other leaders?
In what ways, does our team have space to contribute to the direction of our organization?
What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers? Where am I exposed to potentially falling prey to the same?
Questions to ask your team:
Why do we exist?
How do we behave?
What do we do?
How will we succeed?
What is most important--right now?
Who must do what?
Questions to ask as you innovate:
This Harvard Business Review article, “Eight Essential Questions for Every Corporate Innovator” was written almost a decade ago, but the questions, adapted to your context and this season still ring true.
Check out my favorite, go to questions after the ad.
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Questions to ask as you coach/mentor/supervise:
These are my go to, always at hand questions, learned directly from the team at Community Christian Church in Naperville.
Here are the six questions and a brief explanation of the brilliance behind each:
1) “How are you?”
Remember at the heart of effecting coaching is a relational investment. It may sound cliché, but it’s still true: “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” You should begin every coaching conversation by checking in to see how the person you are coaching is really doing.
2) “What are you celebrating?”
Often it’s stated like this: “Where are you/we winning?” Whether it’s a one-on-one meeting, a group meeting, a staff meeting, or a temporary task force, begin by celebrating how God is at work in our life, ministry, and church.
Moving from “How are you?” to “What are you celebrating?” keeps the tone of the meeting very relational and positive. It’s tempting to quickly focus on what’s not working or what is broken. This question starts the conversation focused on where the leader is feeling successful and then you get to affirm their efforts.
3) What challenges are you facing?
You might be thinking, “Finally we get to something productive.” Yes, the previous questions are very relational, but if it helps any, remember that when it comes to coaching the relationship really is the task. This question gives your leader an opportunity to talk openly about what is not going very well in his group or team.
4) How will you solve those challenges?
Once a leader has disclosed some areas where he or she may be experiencing some challenges with his life, group, or team it is tempting to quickly move into “fix-it” mode and try to solve the problem for them. There are times when a leader will need your insight and wisdom. However, the best way you can serve a leader is to help them tap into the wisdom and insight God has already given them to deal with whatever situation they are facing. Spend the most amount of your time on this question. It is the coach’s role to draw those answers or solutions out of the leader.
5) How can I help you?
Finally, we get to the question we’ve wanted to ask. This is an important question, but if you never get to this question because the leader has already come up with an action plan as you walked through the previous questions, considers yourself an extremely effective coach. But there are times when a coach needs to step in and offer whatever assistance is necessary to help a leader in need. So if the leader doesn’t know how they can solve the challenges they face, offer them wisdom and guidance from your own experience.
6) How can I pray for you?
The best way to wrap up a coaching conversation is to ask the leader how you can be praying for him or her. It is also a great opportunity for the coach to ask the leader for prayer. This is one way a coach can help the leader know that this relationship is mutually beneficial. After the leader has had a chance to express some areas where they are in need of prayer, take a few moments to pray for the leader and reassure them that you will be praying regularly.
Before you go …
I would love to hear what questions you have asked or been asked that have shaped your leadership. Just click here and drop them in. I’ll compile and share the list with the gang in a later post.