Managers Tool Kit: 4 Questions
What if you could move the needle on employee retention and engagement with just four questions (and a dose of active listening) each week?
Though the pandemic has passed, we learned a lot about what employees want in the workplace. In a nutshell, people want to be “seen” and “appreciated”. Mind you, this looks different for every individual. Some do not want public attention but prefer private or even written words to recognize the work that they do.
Following the pandemic, I left a position because we did not share common values. As a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and manager, it was important to me that our team aligned job duties with our talent themes and my supervisor did not agree this was important. Though there were other issues at play, everyone on that team quit one by one. I am grateful for the experience as it helped me to leave my day job and pursue my true life’s work.
Each week I hear the same concerns about employees not feeling seen, heard, or appreciated in the workplace. While some of us may have believed that we needed to “sell our soul” to make a living, that belief is no longer recognized as one that serves ANYONE.
According to Gallup data and a recent Gallup “Called to Coach” webinar entitled “Building Psychological Safety in Your Team”, Allan Watkinson shares that there are three questions that managers can (and should ask) their team members each week and they are as follows:
How are you doing?
How is your work going?
How can I best support you?
It is important to remember that leaning into what people say and truly listening to them without judgment is important in establishing relationships and opening up these conversations.
As a manager, it is easy to believe that we need to give advice and fix every problem, but remember that employees have ideas and feedback that is valuable. Most employees will tell you that having their ideas highlighted and credited is also key to “being seen”.
What is the fourth question you ask? Jim Collison, host of the above webinar added that his supervisor recently asked “How often would you like to connect with me?” This is such a simple and honorable question that gets at the heart of valuing the uniqueness of each person.
Please know that you don’t need to be a Ph.D.-level psychologist to have these conversations. You simply need to be a human who is willing to listen and learn.
Most often, employees are not looking for solutions or counseling regarding what is happening in their lives, but rather just the opportunity to voice what is happening.
If you would like to learn more about building an engaging workplace, here are some next steps for you:
Listen to the webinar “Building Psychology Safety in Your Team” (don’t be afraid of the title)
Begin having weekly conversations with your team members. Let them know, in advance, that you will be having routine conversations and that it is important to you to know how they are doing and how you can support them. (It is likely anxiety-provoking to simply put a meeting on the calendar without explanation.)
Consider investing in your team with a CliftonStrengths Coach who can help you move toward creating a strengths-based culture. (Feel free to DM me or set up a Discovery Call.)
Recognize what skills or talents you may have that can serve you in being intentional about team check-ins. Consider seeking your private coaching session around your talents with a Gallup Certified Coach.
Give yourself credit for what you are doing well. Managing a team is challenging. Many professionals (like me) can support you in your efforts. Seeking coaching or support is wise and valuable.