5 Questions Leaders Should Ask

Leaders are comfortable asking questions. They know the more questions they ask, the better the answer will be.

Why, then, are so many leaders reluctant to ask questions? This reluctance to ask questions comes from our upbringing.

African American woman looking up, as if pondering something important

Photo by Tachina Lee

The older we got, the less comfortable people became with us asking questions.

That’s the opposite direction we should have gone. We should have been encouraged to ask questions. You should encourage those you lead to ask questions.

Today, we’re going to look at 5 questions leaders should ask.

5 Questions Leaders Should Ask

1. Why?

Why is a great question to ask. So often we go to other questions such as “How can we get this done?” or “When will we have time to accomplish this?”

Why is a different question? Why allows us to see the reasoning behind what we’re doing.

Ask the Why? question when you need clarity, motivation, or direction.

2. What do you need?

This question focuses on those you’ve tasked with the mission of the organization. It helps you to understand what is going on and what you can do to help your team.

Be ready and willing to ask “What do you need?” It will help you help your team have the right tools to get the job done.

Don’t leave your team hanging. Find out what they need.

3. Are you okay?

Leaders are afraid to ask this question. They’re afraid of what the answer might be.

It’s like most people. We ask others how they’re doing but we only expect a quick “Doing great, Bob!” or “Good.”

We don’t get into the nitty-gritty with those we do our lives with. We live in a passer-by world.

Leaders step into the lives of those they lead. They know they need to do this because if their team members are not okay, they won’t give their best.

Ask the tough question of “Are you okay?”

4. Who am I raising up?

Great leaders don’t lead organizations just to see success. Great leaders lead because they’re interested in creating the next generation of leaders.

Ask yourself “Who am I raising up?”

Find someone you can pour your wisdom, insights, and thoughts into. Build this person into the next leader of your organization.

Great leaders raise up new leaders.

5. Who am I?

Does this question sting? I bet it does.

Too many of us don’t know who we are. We believe we do but when we begin to search our souls, we begin to have sweaty palms. We begin to realize we don’t know who we are.

We’ve been going through the motions. We’ve been doing all the right things. But we don’t know who we are.

Take the time to ask this probing question.

Dig deep into yourself. Discover who you are.

Knowing who you are will help you lead your team with confidence.

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