Getting constant interruptions from their staff is one of the biggest complaints I get from my clients. You have just planned your day, written you tasks to be completed on your to-do-list and you are all set to tackle your list and have a productive day when one of your team members complains that they are not sure what to do with their task. Do you explain it all again to her for the fourth time or do you just take it off her? It would be quicker to do it yourself!
The number one reason that your staff say that they are not sure what to do is lack of confidence. They are looking for you approval. Your role as their manager is to build their confidence and aid their personal development. This will give you a strong team who are able to think for themselves and carry out their tasks with ease and confidence.
So, how can you help them do this? Answer: Ask Questions!
Asking quality questions and really listening to the answers are in my book two of the most important skills you need to master in order to motivate people into action.
When we ask the right questions, we encourage people to have their own insights, to have their own aha moments. If we want the other person to do all the thinking then asking questions is the only way to encourage this. By asking the right questions, you will get them thinking about the problem, whilst you just concentrate on getting them to do the thinking and come up with their own solutions. This will build their confidence in their ability as they realise that they do know the right answers and they are more than capable of carrying out their job.
How to ask the best questions
There are no right or wrong questions. However, the following will help you to ask useful questions:-
Staying in the present - don’t try to anticipate what their answer may be. Make sure that you are actively listening to them when they give you the answer.
Listen without judgment – the most important thing is that their answer is accepted by you as being true for them and that you move on. They may otherwise start to tell you what they think you want to hear and not what they are really thinking and feeling.
Don’t be attached to the outcome – like with staying in the present, you have to ensure that you don’t place getting the right answer to you, over the importance of hearing what the right answer is for them.
Staying focused on asking open questions – questions such as who, what, were and how are all open questions. These will give you more information in the answers that you receive than closed questions such as did, are, and can which are more likely to just produce a yes or no answer. A why question is sometimes useful to get them to see different motives of others or themselves in a situation but you need to be aware that it can also sometimes take them into their own fears and not expand their perception of what is really going on. Why questions can also lead to a blame or excuse culture so use them sparingly.
Stay curious – our natural state is to be curious. Remember when you were a child. Almost every other word was a question as we explored the world around us. We almost unlearn our natural state of asking questions. Stay away from the how to frame of mind when you tell them what they should be doing or try giving advice. Instead, stay curious with questions and get them to find solutions for themselves.
To receive a free subscription to the monthly Silent Motivator e-zine go to http://www.coachuk.ltd.uk You will receive regular tips on managing and motivating your team as well as access to a number of free resources and articles which can help you in team meetings to get the most out of your staff.
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