One of the important tasks of a leader is to empower their employees.  Using a Coach approach (or asking questions instead of giving answers) will help you empower your employees and help you gather information about your operations and the issues your employees face.  Remember, one of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is: “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.”

Here is a list of questions to inspire you to ask more questions.  If multiple questions are too hard to remember with all the other issues you face, you can do what Manny Fernandez, Partner at KPMG does and pose a more generic question to everyone: “How can I help you be successful?”

1. How can we build on that for greater success?
2. How can I help you?
3. What training do you need to do your job?
4. What decisions could we allow you to make to streamline your job?

1. If I had a magic wand to solve this problem, what would you want me to do with it?
2. How do other companies manage this issue?
3. What question didn’t I ask you that you wish I had?
4. What’s the question that I missed?

1. What strategic uncertainties keep you awake at night?
2. What will the next generation of  X (fill in the topic:  IT, HR, manufacturing, software, employees) look like?
3. What do we need to do to stay competitive in our market?

1. What do our customers want?
2. How is uncertainty impacting how you serve our customers?
3. What boundaries do we need to give our customers?
4. How could we better educate our customers?