Questions Strong Leaders Ask Every Day

Voltaire once said, “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” I strongly believe the same can be said about leaders. Questions we ask ourselves every day say more about us than the answers we give others.

But not any questions will do. There are only a handful of questions that can help a leader develop just the right skills and make the right conclusions day after day.

№1. Am I hearing what I want to hear, or what I'm being told?

Being a good listener is a feature of a leader with emotional intelligence. Some are born with this ability, some work hard to develop it. It is a good foundation for building an efficient and working team.

Through more than a decade of being a leader of an international team, I have embraced active listening as one of the best approaches to team management. It helps me to not only hear, but listen to what people are saying, especially between the lines.

Interestingly, it also helps me be a better speaker. Knowing what to listen and pay attention to helps me say all the right things when I am talking to my team, giving an interview, or answering questions from a client.

Being a good listener is something the leader should pay attention to every day because for us, every conversation matters.

№2. Am I enough?

This is perhaps one of the most important and difficult questions we can ask ourselves. The answer to it can serve as one of the most vital metrics of one’s leadership skills.

How to spot a leader who doesn’t do enough?

• Their team is underperforming most of the time or constantly

• There is next to no communication among team members

• The professional turnover is high and rising

• There is no clear vision of the future and present goals

• Company values are not aligned with team goals and are not observed by most of the team

  
  

A productive and efficient team is impossible without a leader who does their best and sets the best example on a daily basis. Listen to your team, analyze your daily performance, and, if needed, seek help from outside counsel — this is the best way to understand if you’re enough and provide your team with the leadership they deserve.

№3. Am I at my capacity?

Delegation is an art. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jeff Bezos have all talked about the importance of delegation, especially when leading a global team of professionals.

Delegation starts with admitting that one person can’t do it all. We are merely spreading ourselves thin without any evidence that this approach works. In reality, we are only exposing ourselves to irritation, fatigue, and burnout.

Spotting tasks a leader can delegate and relaying them to others is the way to improve our own workflow and set an example for other managers in our companies. It is also a good way to spot those who will become the leaders of tomorrow — those who have the potential and desire to take on some extra tasks and be successful in completing them, all the while keeping their eyes on the ultimate goal.

Every day, we have a plethora of tasks. When you do, do not hesitate to ask for help and delegate. After all, admitting that you do not know everything and need help from time to time will only bring you closer to your team.

№4. What can I do today that will matter in the future?

We all want to leave an imprint. We want to do something that will matter in the future as much as it matters today. Some wish to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, some would like to reinvent the iPhone, and some would like to revolutionize their industries of operation.

Whatever we do, we want to make a difference and leave a legacy. Asking ourselves what we can do to change the world every day will help us set daily and weekly focuses regularly. This is something my team and I practice regularly. This way, we successfully perform our regular tasks and go towards our common goal.

№5. What did today teach me?

The ability and the need to learn and develop continuously are among my personal favorite things about being a leader. Almost every day presents me with an opportunity to learn something new, be it from an audiobook I listen to while preparing breakfast, communicating with members of the SupportYourApp family, or attending an educational course.

Another great thing about learning every day is seeing the progress one has made. Here, a diary or a notebook might help. Take a note on what you learn every day and witness your progress with time. Oh, the satisfaction!

Asking yourself what you learn every day is one of the best ways to progress and become better as a leader and as a human.

The magic of the right questions lies within the answers they provide. Leaders who ask themselves the right questions feel motivated and know how to keep their eyes continuously on the goal.