Questions That Teach and Motivate

August 18, 2005

As a manager, you're probably accustomed to asking your employees lots of questions.

"When will you have that assignment completed?"
"What did the client have to say?"
"When did you first discover the problem?"

Of course, your primary purpose in asking such questions is typically to obtain information that will help you diagnose problems and make decisions.

However, questions can also be used for other purposes, as well. For example, you can ask questions intended to help an employee become more independent and responsible, such as: "Why do you suppose that happened?" Or "Is there anything you could have done to prevent the problem?"

You can also use questions to establish rapport and build on your relationship with employees. For example, "What are your personal goals and aspirations?" And "Where would you like your career to be two years from now?"

The most powerful questions are ones that accomplish all of these objectives simultaneously. They're questions that help you obtain information, while at the same time motivating and inspiring employees and providing them an opportunity to learn and be more responsible.

Here are a few examples.

1. "What would you propose we do about...?"

Ask this question before finalizing a plan of action or reaching a final decision on a particular issue. It can generate an expanded list of alternatives, forces the employee to think seriously about the issue, and at the same time conveys a message that the person's opinions count.

Other ways to phrase this question include: "I'm looking for some fresh ideas. Can you help?" And "Since you're close to the situation, can you offer some recommendations on this?"

2. "What do you want instead, specifically?"

Other forms of this question include: "Which would you prefer?" And "What would work best for you?"

This question is great for deflecting criticisms and complaints by employees. For instance, if an employee complains about a lack of fairness, teamwork, or working conditions, this question shifts the burden for solving the problem back onto the employee.

Often, we're reluctant to ask this question for fear the employee will make unreasonable demands. For example: "I want you to double my salary, starting tomorrow." However, most of the time it produces the opposite effect, provided the question is asked in a sincere manner. That is, it forces the employee to think more carefully about the issue and propose an acceptable, and specific solution.

Why? Because most employees want to be taken seriously. And if you demonstrate that you take their concerns seriously, they're much more reluctant to make ridiculous statements or unreasonable demands that they know will diminish their own credibility.

3. "How would that help you?" Or alternatively, "How would that help the company?"

This question is useful in those rare instances when an employee does make an unreasonable demand or any time you question an employee's actions, either because you don't understand what the person is thinking or because you know from experience that the outcome will be less than satisfactory.

For instance, an employee tells you he is going to send an angry e-mail message to everyone on the team scolding them for not getting their assignments in on time. You know the team members have been under considerable pressure lately and are likely to be resentful at the accusatory tone of the message.

By asking the employee what he hopes to accomplish with the e-mail, it provides an opportunity to discuss the matter and encourages the employee to think through the consequences of his actions. In other words, it helps the employee learn individual responsibility, whereas simply instructing him not to send out the e-mail does nothing to promote individual responsibility.

4. "How could you have done it better?"

This question is useful any time an employee has just completed a task or assignment, especially the first time. It teaches employees to learn from experience, while also inspiring confidence in their ability to perform better in the future.

It's also especially helpful after an employee has made a mistake. Remember the question regularly posed by your parents after you just made a dumb mistake as a kid? "What have you learned from this experience?" Well, the question applies equally as well in the workplace because we are all still learning.

5. "How can I help you?" Or alternatively, "What can I do to help?" And "What do you need from me?"

These are, perhaps the most powerful questions of all. Coming from the supervisor, they demonstrate unbridled confidence in the employee, challenge the individual to perform exceptionally well, and stimulate the employee to think through exactly what it is that he or she needs from you in order to be successful.

Try asking these questions during your interactions with employees on a regular basis. You're likely to be rewarded with creative, positive answers and responsible employees in return.

Stephen Foster, Ph.D
Expert Supervisor, LLC
1493 Market Street
Tallahassee, FL 32312
(850) 893-5699

E-mail me at: Steve.Foster@ExpertSupervisor.com