Keeping up with your industry’s trends and changes is only part of your role as a leader. Being aware of your team’s feelings and thoughts will also keep you ahead of the game and able to respond more quickly to your business’s needs.

Asking the right feedback questions regularly is a guaranteed way of staying in touch with the changes affecting your company. Your employees’ answers will provide insight into what is impacting your team and help start conversations that develop into positive actions.

The right questions will keep you in touch with your team and tap into what motivates them. Unlocking their potential is better for them and the company as a whole. Here are the questions you should be asking to maximize their productivity potential and aid your company in the process:

1. What challenges are frustrating you and need attention?

This question allows employees to raise issues that you may be unaware of and that is affecting your team’s performance. Something as simple as a photocopier regularly jamming can quickly become a frustration that hinders progress on a range of tasks.

Allowing team members to bring your attention to big and small challenges they face puts them in a favorable position to find solutions that will overcome problems quickly.

2. What wins have you had in the past week?

People enjoy the chance to share successes, and this provides employees with a small celebration of their work and to enjoy some peer recognition. It also allows them to focus on what is great about their job, and you will be able to determine what they consider triumphs to business goals.

3. How do you feel and what is the team’s morale level on a scale of 1 – 5?

It is imperative that you know how your employees feel about their work and for you to inquire. It helps them feel appreciated and heard, which in turn boosts motivation and workplace happiness. Staff also become more self-aware and gain a better insight into their colleague's needs when they answer this.

4. How can I make you more successful in your role?

Employee successes and goals evolve as they develop with the business. Asking for feedback on how you can support their development provides them with the opportunity to identify areas for further achievement and what they need to reach their personal and the business’s aims. This question encourages better engagement and happier teams.

5. What was the best thing that happened to you this week – in or out of work?

We build devoted and engaged employees when we learn about them as rounded individuals. If people feel that they are fully understood in their personal as well as professional goals, you will boost retention and team cohesion. You’ll also discover common traits with your team when employees answer this.

6. If you could start X over again with what you know now, what would you do differently?

This question allows people to consider the best way to do things next time. Allowing employees to imagine themselves as leaders will expose suggestions that help the company push boundaries and move forward. It can also motivate them to aspire to a more significant role in the company.

7. How can I be a better leader?

It is a tough question to ask and answer but is indeed worthwhile. Everyone needs feedback, and asking for some of your performance shows you value your team’s opinions. It also illuminates what they think the core leadership values are that should be promoted.

Asking the right questions is the basis for building better communication, motivation, and cohesion within your business. The answers will allow you to tap into the enormous power within your company that the staff possesses.

Please also check out the free Employee Assessment Template that can be used for a more structured discussion. You find it by clicking HERE.