I love playing games in my workshops. They get everyone engaged and thinking differently; when you are having fun, you naturally learn and remember. One of the games I play in some workshops is 20 Questions. The goal is to learn to ask good questions to be successful in fewer than 20 questions.
I’ve been speaking about the future at many events in the past few weeks, and regardless of whether I’m speaking to HR professionals, front-line supervisory groups, administrative staff or any member of the audiences I’ve been in front of, one of the key takeaways is always to increase your value to your employer.
Value is hard to define as we don’t always know what others value. I know that asking good questions is integral to anyone’s job. A great question is, “What is a good question to ask?”
The 20 Questions game we played as kids has taught us to ask simple yes or no (closed-ended) questions. Those aren’t good questions. We need to ask questions that make the other person think about the answer because they’ve never thought about the question before.
Asking insightful questions shows you’re thinking strategically, taking initiative, and thinking differently than others. That’s valuable!
We aren’t playing a game in this article, so there is no prize at the end. However, there are some great questions for you to take back to your role to show your value.
- Ask about priorities.
- Example: “I’d like to make sure my work aligns with your (our team’s) goals. What are the top three priorities for this quarter?” or “What are the top three priorities for our team (or for your executive) this quarter?”. Others are “What are some areas where my support could help you the most right now?” or “How can I help you reach your goals this month?”
- Why it’s valuable: This question shows you’re focused on the big picture and eager to prioritize tasks that support the team’s objectives.
- To add more value: Look at the upcoming meetings on your executive’s calendar and see if they have any responsibilities for that meeting. This helps you avoid last-minute panic requests as well as showing value. Ask them what their deliverables are for that meeting and make suggestions on how you can help.
Just this morning, Warren texted me (I’m out of town) to tell me he had to go into town to pick something up. He nicely said, “I’m going to Costco today. Is there anything that I should pick up while I’m there?” It was super easy, and I appreciated it. Grocery shopping is a task that I typically do, or we do together (I actually enjoy grocery shopping), so the simple ask was appreciated. I don’t expect him to know what I am thinking, and instead of “I wish you had told me you were going to Costco – I have something I need from there,” a simple ask made me appreciative.
- Ask about concerns and fears. What keeps you up at night?
While this is a typical consulting-type question, it helps to know what bothers others. If they answer, “I sleep fine,” let them know it is a metaphorical question as we aren’t really asking about their sleep LOL.
- Example: “Are there any challenges or uncertainties you’re particularly focused on?” Or “What things in our future are you thinking about already?”
- Why it’s valuable: By understanding your manager’s concerns, you position yourself as someone ready to help alleviate those worries. And if they are thinking about it, you should be too.
- Are there any upcoming projects that I could start preparing for?
- Example: “Are there future projects where I could get a head start on preparations?”
- Why it’s valuable: This demonstrates foresight and helps ensure you’re ready for what’s next.
- To add more value: Look at the strategic plan (typically five years in advance) and see where your department/executive impacts it. By knowing the plan, you can ensure your executive is on task to deliver to their expectations.
- Ask about obstacles
- Example: “If I could do one thing on your to-do list today to make your day better, what would it be?” or “What’s one thing stopping you from getting your to-do list done today?”
- Why it’s valuable: The more we make the lives of our executives and coworkers easier, the more value we bring. We show empathy and proactive thinking.
- To add more value: Look at their schedule. If you see a meeting that could be rescheduled (or could send someone else in their place) or a task you could do to help, then offer to do that. A Scrum master in project management asks this each day. It’s their job to ensure everyone can get their tasks done, so if they need to help, run interference, or even reschedule something, that is what they do. We do the same things for our executives and team members.
- Ask about skill development.
- Example: “Do you see any specific skill that could make me more valuable to you or the team?” or “What’s one skill you think would be beneficial for me to develop or improve?”
- Why it’s valuable: It shows you’re invested in professional growth and aligns your development with team goals.
- To add more value: Bring forward a business case explaining why you should attend an upcoming conference or online workshop. Tell them where you can add more value to the organization by learning a new skill.
Questions add value by making people think, challenging how they do things, and looking for new ways to improve what and why we do things. Questions do not have to challenge other people. Good questions leave room to think and evaluate what we do and why we do it.
Keep asking good questions. Regularly engaging your manager with questions like these will foster a productive, forward-thinking partnership. You’re not just an administrative professional – you’re a strategic partner invested in the team’s success.
This article was written by Rhonda Scharf and not by artificial intelligence.
