Know Me: 3 Simple Questions to Better Understand Your People
Do you know your people? Do you really understand what makes them tick and motivates them to come to work every day? Conversely, do you know what would make them leave your organization? A defining attribute shared by great leaders is the ability to garner followership. A way to do this is by truly getting to know people. These leaders understand the value in taking time to connect with their employees. There are many ways to engage with direct reports. An effective technique is to ask employees the following 3 simple thought-provoking questions:
- Why did you originally join our organization?
- What keeps you here?
- What would make you leave?
The above 3 questions can set the stage for an incredible dialogue aimed at evaluating the satisfaction level and motivators of employees. Weaving in the questions as part of a casual conversation in an informal setting (e.g., coffee shop) can set the stage for an honest and productive discussion. The conversation itself sends a signal to an employee that the leader is interested in them and their satisfaction. The key is to set the stage for honesty by coming from a place of truly caring. When done effectively, a leader can learn if the organization has met the expectations of the employee, why they remain at the organization, and what would cause them to exit. It also allows the leader to get ahead of any unforeseen issues that might be festering and to administer the proper coaching that might be needed to retain the person.
The power of this is highlighted by sharing the following real example. The questioning technique described above was used by an executive with a high potential middle management employee who was two layers down in the organization. When the employee was asked what made them come to the company they replied, “the opportunity to be with a growth organization”. They went on to say that the reason they stayed at the company was, “because of the people on their immediate team who worked together well to achieve goals”. When asked question number 3 above, regarding what would make them leave, they admitted that they were, “not as happy as they had originally been due to the communication style of their new leader”. Probing further allowed the executive to uncover that the employee was indeed starting to contemplate an employment change. The discovery process also helped the executive to find out more about the development needs of the employee’s new leader and confidentially provide the required coaching. The conversation aided in building trust between the executive and the middle management employee. The result was that the employee promised to allow the executive the time needed to rectify the situation, which did happen, and the employee stayed with the organization thereby creating a win for all (the company, the employee, and the new leader who received the stepped-up coaching).
Taking the time to know people helps to gain trust and followership. Asking the three questions above in a caring manner can help engage and retain great people.
