What are some effective ways to ask questions that help a team leader build a high-performing team?

One of the most important questions begins with 3 letters...WHY. Being in the commercial space and leading global teams for many years I've always asked the question "Why" especially after a successful growth quarter. It's the normal course of business to ask "Why" after an unsuccessful quarter but how often do you ask "Why" after a successful outcome? The celebration doesn't end with the victory...it ends at identifying "The Why" the success was obtained. Success is answering the question "Why".

Demonstrating genuine care, empathy, and concern for each team member's success can help you break barriers and earn their trust and respect. This approach can foster a more cohesive, collaborative, and high-performing team.

In my experience, it's more valuable and effective to ask a WHAT question than a WHY one. WHAT gets down to the nitty gritty that WHY questions fairly quickly morph into, and it's more a specific, fact-based, considered entry into conversation than WHY. WHY will get you opinion; WHAT brings up the basis for that opinion. Shifting 'Why was this year more profitable than last year?' to 'What were the factors that made this year more profitable than last year?' gives us the subjective contents of WHY right up front.

We can obnly learn by questioning. spoon feeding people with answers is inefficient and will not last if there is any benefit at all. Giving people ownership of the job they have and letting them suggest ways to improve itm is the best way to learn from them. Many people have to be the smartest person in the room. They may be but do they cut off innovation because the don't value the input of others. Pass ownership on to them and then question what they have learnbed and what they would do differently gives the independence and rewards them for being smarter than the leader. Now that's a bonus for the leader because she/he is learning as well and the germ of continued innovation has been planted.

The leadership style that will be relevant in the future is coaching. People crave guidance and empowerment, and the best way to achieve that is by adopting a coach-like mindset. It's essential to always approach conversations with curiosity and a willingness to learn instead of simply waiting for your turn to speak. In my experience asking open-ended, thought-provoking questions is an excellent way to initiate conversations that prompt your team members to find solutions by themselves. By doing so, they become more committed and are more likely to follow through with their insights instead of being told what to do.

I've found that asking the following three questions during 1:1 meetings with team members can have a significant impact. Implement these and watch your meetings become more productive: 1. What are the most important topics we should discuss today? 2. What is one thing(s) I hold you accountable for completing before our next meeting? 3. Where do you think I should focus more of my time as your leader?

Open-ended questions are always a great place to start: what.../how.../when.../why...etc It will depend on the situation and the experience of the individual. The Situational Leadership model is one I've always found helpful in finding the optimal approach for each person in different situations: one size does not fit all!

The most important thing is to be genuinely curious and interested in the answer. Don't ask leading questions; don't half-listen but think you've already figured it out. The more open and curious you are, the more you will get back from your colleagues, and the better the business outcomes are likely to be

Don't be afraid of silence! We so often jump in to fill a gap - but people often need time to think. Sometimes, there's nothing wrong with saying nothing!