Ask More Questions. Give Fewer Answers.

Why is it so tough to ask questions rather than always give answers? Asking employees questions helps them grow, feel valued, use their brains, think for themselves, be motivated. The list goes on.

Here are three simple questions I challenge you to ask every one of your team members over the next 5 days:

1. How can I help? I know you’re busy and I have been encouraging you to delegate. That is still the case, but a simple offer to help on a small task or to help brainstorm on something bigger goes a long way to building trust and team.

2. What do you think? Your job as a leader is to not always be the smartest person in the room. And for sure you don’t have to act like it. Gather new ideas from your employees, use the best ideas, and make sure you give them all the credit.

3. What can I do better? You are not perfect, so ask for feedback from your employees. And you can be specific. Try “What can I do better to make our team thrive?” “What can I do better to have stronger engagement?” “What can I do better to make your job easier?”

It was this article from Inc. that prompted me to write about this issue. There were lots of articles with many questions, but I thought these were the easiest to remember, and the most realistic to implement. Most of us struggle with asking questions (me included), so let’s keep practicing.