What questions cause you to pause? What questions lead to helpful reflection? Today I share two questions I find helpful What questions do you use to guide your daily leadership?
Q1: How can I be most helpful?
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
This is a great “first thing in the morning” question.
- Review your calendar can you proactively plan some helps?
- Are you using your gifts in the most helpful way?
- Who haven’t you checked in on in a while? What do they most need?
- How’s the balance? Has your helping titled too much toward work, home or somewhere else?
- Who needs some cheerleading?
- Who can you connect with whom?
- As you go through the day, what can you do to surprise people with random acts of helping?
Of course a great follow-up question for the end of the day is: How was I helpful today?
Q2: How would they feel about working with me again?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This one is tricky. It takes stepping back and having an objective view. Sure what you accomplished is important, but how did you make people feel along the way?
- Did you treat them with respect?
- Can they count on you to do what you say?
- Are you the go-to guy?
- Did you add creative value?
- Were your meetings or projects well-organized?
- Did you ensure everyone had a voice?
- Do your peers feel you have their back?
- Do you bring positive energy to the scene?
- Do you share credit?