5 Questions You Should Be Asking Yourself (& Your Team)

How often do you reflect on what you are doing??

Maybe once a month? After finishing a big project? Or perhaps only once a year, when setting your annual targets?

For me, if you’re reflecting any less than once a week you aren’t in the best position to grow.?

Reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved is the best way to see ongoing positive growth in yourself, and in your teams.?

That’s why this week I’m sharing 5 questions you should be asking yourself EVERY FRIDAY, in order to improve your productivity. You can share these are your weekly recaps to help your team with their accountability, as well!

1. What worked / didn’t work / needs improving? It’s important to reflect on the good, the bad, and the things that could have worked better. This question allows you to recognise where you may have been at fault, or where any bottlenecks are. Once you have discovered these, you can choose the best way to move forward.
2. Did anything derail you this week? If your answer is a simple no, congratulations, you probably had an awesome week! But there will be other weeks when things get a bit derailed, whether it was in your control (like team communication) or not (a flood). So it’s not a bad idea to have a contingency plan in case something goes off-track.? A backup plan is not always needed, but it could still be a life-saver in your company.
3. What can you get off your plate, so you can start Monday fresh? Starting your week already stressed is a recipe for disaster. So if there’s one task you can tick off before the end of the week, what would it be? It may be something as simple as cleaning your desk, or sending that one important email you forgot to send earlier in the day. Make sure that you’re starting your Mondays well, by taking action on Friday.?
4. What would bring more joy into your week next week? This is a particularly good question to ask during more stressful times. You shouldn’t just be waiting for when work is quite to be enjoying your work life. Is there a weekend trip you’re looking forward to? Or a special coworker you’d like to catch up with? Remember that your team’s productivity is directly linked to how happy all of you are to be working there.
5. What was successful thanks to your involvement? This question is designed to highlight your role in helping the business succeed, so you can appreciate yourself and the others who also helped you this week. We focus too heavily at times on the negative, so it’s important to include positively-geared reflective questions, as well.?

Mark time in your calendar to answer these questions today, or across the weekend, so you can see the clarity that comes before Monday!

See you for next week’s Fast 5!