Be inquisitive

Asking good questions is a skill. Not everyone is good at it, but you can improve with practice

Some people are naturally inquisitive. Are you one of them? If questions come naturally to you then be sure to put your skills to work when you meet with your team. Good questions will not only help you learn, but they’re great ways to help your team learn too. Challenging questions force people to test their assumptions and to explore other perspectives.

Don’t worry if you’re not a natural quizzer. Like most things, you can get better at asking questions with practice. Preparation helps too. Spend time before your one-to-ones this week writing down the things you want to find out more about. Then write open questions that will help you understand more. (An open question is one that needs more than a one-word answer). For example:

Ask, “what do we need to do to make sure we hit our deadline?” instead of, “will the project be ready on time?”,
Try, “where have we overspent on our budget?” rather than “are we on budget?”
Find out, “what work are you most proud of this month?” instead of, “is all your work going OK?”
Inquire, “what’s the biggest challenge you’ve had this week?” as an alternative to “do you need any help?”

All of these examples will help you learn more about what your team member is up to. They make it harder for people to succumb to wishful thinking. And they make it easier for you offer help, and for your team member to accept it.

Your questions can be more specific, they just need to be open. Bring the questions to your one-to-ones and start a discussion.