5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use - People Leaders (2024)

5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use - People Leaders (1)

Forming good questions is an art form that is acquired through practice.

When you ask the right questions, you can unlock the latent potential that lies within your team.
Here are 5 key questions that, if used consistently will lift the level of performance of you and your team. Drum roll please…

  1. What do you think? Not rocket science is it? This question is best asked after a statement or observation as it allows you to find out very quickly what your team members thinking process and focus is. Encouraging your team to voice their opinion in an environment of curiosity and support is a powerful tool of engagement. Once unlocked, will lead to a culture of learning, trust and right action.
  2. What makes you think this? This question helps your team member make connections to their ideas and thoughts with information they have actually experienced, seen, researched or heard. This also pushes them to provide more depth and a reason for their answer.
  3. Can you tell me more? Team members are used to asking you questions, not answering them, and this will take time and patience on your part to get the answer. It also encourages your team member to think more deeply about the issue. The pay-off is a more empowered and skilled team.
  4. How can I support you with this? This is an opportunity to demonstrate collaboration and support while still giving them responsibility for the issue or situation.
  5. What do you think are the next steps? This question rounds off the conversation or interaction with a call to action. What better way to complete most one on one conversations? Your team member leaves with an idea of what to do and how to do it, and you have a level of comfort knowing what they are going to do.

Next time you have a one-on-one with ateam member try including some of these questions and let us know how you get on.

5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use - People Leaders (2)

How Can You Increase Accountability In Your Team?

Enter your details to access our free Above-the-Line Accountability Infographic to get your team operating 'above the line.'

5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use - People Leaders (2024)

FAQs

5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use - People Leaders? ›

Final answer:

The question "Is that what you want?" is NOT one of the top five Powerful Questions.

Which of these is not one of the top five powerful questions? ›

Final answer:

The question "Is that what you want?" is NOT one of the top five Powerful Questions.

What questions should leaders ask their employees? ›

Here are some of the best questions I've found that boost employee morale and employee engagement:
  • What's going well for you and your team this week? ...
  • What barriers are getting in the way of your success? ...
  • What can I do to help you be more successful? ...
  • How are you feeling at work lately?

What is the power of asking questions as a leader? ›

Asking questions is one of our most important, yet overlooked, skills for effective communication, whether at work or in life. The best leaders are often not the ones who have the answers - they are the ones who ask the right questions and actively listen to what others have to say.

Why do great leaders ask questions? ›

When leaders ask questions, they automatically open the door for dialogue, and employees feel their concerns are more readily heard.

What are the top 5 powerful questions? ›

5 Powerful Questions Every People Manager Needs to Know and Use
  • What do you think? Not rocket science is it? ...
  • What makes you think this? ...
  • Can you tell me more? ...
  • How can I support you with this? ...
  • What do you think are the next steps?

What are the 5 main questions? ›

As far back as 1913, reporters were taught that the lead should answer these questions:
  • Who?
  • What?
  • When?
  • Where?
  • Why?
  • How?

Why managers must ask 5 questions to empower employees? ›

What do you know you can do well but haven't done yet? What sorts of activities do you finish and think, "I can't wait to do that again"? Or what are you doing -- inside or outside work -- when you're truly enjoying yourself? What have you done well that you didn't need someone to explain how to do?

What are the 5 most meaningful questions to ask in a performance review as a leader? ›

What questions do managers need to be asking their employees?
  • What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of? ...
  • In which area(s) would you like to improve? ...
  • What have I done to help you do your job better? ...
  • Do you have the resources and tools you need to perform your job? ...
  • What are your goals for the next six months/year?

What are 5 questions to get to know your team? ›

‍Here are creative questions for team building:
  • What's the strangest gift you've ever received?
  • What's your favorite decade and why?
  • Who's your favorite Disney movie character?
  • What was your favorite class in high school?
  • What's your most-used app on your phone?
  • What's your go-to movie?
  • What's your favorite board game?

What are the power of powerful questions? ›

There are three dimensions to powerful questions: construction, scope, and assumptions. Each con- tributes to the quality of learning and knowledge cre- ation that emerges as we engage with others in a gen- erative inquiry.

What is an example of a power question? ›

Practice Questions
  • Define power.
  • List various units of power.
  • What is the formula to find the power?
  • Explain one kilowatt.
  • What is the formula to find the average power?

What is the power of good questions? ›

Good questions are the key to better insights. Questions allow you to asses your understanding as well as others. Identifying gaps in your knowledge is the first step to filling them. We can learn a lot, often more, from the work involved in answering a question than from the answer itself.

What to ask senior leadership? ›

Questions About What Work Is Like In Their Organization
  • How long have you been with your company?
  • What's the culture like?
  • What steps do you take to create a comfortable workplace?
  • How do you conduct roundtable discussions and encourage people to be creative?
  • What makes your organization stand out from the competition?

What makes great leaders stand out? ›

A good leader engages in open communication, motivates their team members, leads by example, listens to feedback, and is open to new ideas in an ever-changing workplace. Anyone can sit in a corner office and boss people around, but there's more to effective leadership than that.

What makes a great leader answer? ›

A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should be learning agile and flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively.

What are the 4 main question types? ›

There are four kinds of questions in English: general, alternative, special, disjunctive. 1. A general question requires the answer “yes” or “no” and is spoken with a rising intonation. General questions are formed by placing part of the predicate (i.e. the auxiliary or modal verb) before the subject.

What is a good powerful question? ›

What is top of mind? What are you hoping for? What is the goal? What is the issue?

What is powerful questioning? ›

“Powerful questions are a reflection of committed listening and understanding the other person's perspective that is confirmed through paraphrasing. This suggests a progression from listening, paraphrasing for understanding, and then asking powerful questions that yield clarity or mediation of thinking.”

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 6295

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.