In the spirit of new year self-reflection, here are five questions all team leaders should ask themselves. Some of them are of special importance this year.
How are we doing with milestones and completing tasks? What works and what doesn't?
Of course, every manager probably tracks specific numbers and landmarks within their job. One such landmark is the fact that many companies have managed to move staff to home office surprisingly well. However, there is a second issue which is important for the future.
- Why are you strong in some areas, less so in others?
- What can you do about it?
- Where should you focus your efforts? And what have you learnt about the importance of certain metrics?
- Are there tasks that have not been performed and is that OK?
- Have you found new metrics that were better indicators of real productivity?
Are there individuals in the team who excel? Who is struggling? Why?
It may seem easy to identify better and worse performances in most teams. It is important to find out why these differences exist.
- Is it to do with an approach, skills, training?
- How can you use the power of your top talent and help others?
- Are there ways to share knowledge, delegate tasks, or create opportunities for team members to mentor one another?
This year will have various effects on team morale and employee involvement. Not only have many people become more self-sufficient (which is generally a good thing), but there may be damage to working relationships and team morale that will require conscious redress once the situation returns to normal.
Are tools working as expected? What needs to change?
We are usually too busy using a variety of tools and methodologies to examine how they work. Take a moment to ask yourself:
- Does the way we use e-mail, video conferencing technology or anything else bring the desired results?
- Do we need to update our tools or our skills?
What is the best thing I've done in the last year and why does it matter?
It is easy for many of us to blame ourselves for mistakes. Change this and instead ask yourself:
- What did you do best?
- Why was it so effective?
- How can you achieve this again/and more?
- How can you replicate the same success in other areas of your work?
What one thing that you haven't yet done would fundamentally change the way you work?
Of course, you probably have no budget or no idea if and when you will return to the office and your staff have different levels of morale. In short, there are numerous uncertainties.
- If you could do one thing to make things better, what would it be?
- Is that one thing under your control?
- What specific step can you take next week to achieve this goal?
There is nothing magical or scientific about these issues. However, if you really take the time to ask these questions and think about the answers, they will turn into action. And even small events can have extraordinary results.
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