Question of the Week!?!
For the next few weeks, I will be testing a new blog series called Question of the Week. But before I jump in, let's take a step back...
I worked closely this year with Pat Lencioni and his team at the Table Group as they developed and launched the Six Types of Working Genius. I truly believe it's one of the most important tools ever launched to improve team productivity, reduce employee burnout, and build trust.
During that journey, I learned that I have the Working Genius of "Wonder." This means it brings me joy and energy to ponder the possibility of greater potential. With this Working Genius type, I am often the person who asks, "Does it have to be this way?"
So, it's in my nature to ask probing questions ... which can lead to an understanding of how employees really feel.
For some people, Wonder is a Working Frustration. It actually creates burnout for them to hang out too long in this kind of conceptual thinking. Unfortunately, when organizations lack Wonder, they are slow to identify or respond to emerging challenges or opportunities.
So, I naturally began to wonder: how can I put my working superpower to use for my audience? Thus, I’m launching the Question of the Week.
The questions will be connected with current events that shape the world of work and are focused on making that world a better place. This week I was inspired by a Microsoft podcast that featured ADP’s Chief Economist, Nela Richardson. I highly recommend this episode because Nela is so engaging. She takes complicated concepts and simplifies them for easy consumption. (She must have the Working Genius type of Discernment!) There are some interesting insights about what employees really need right now.
At the end of the podcast, Nela provides some actionable advice for leaders. One such piece of advice is that knowing the sentiment of your workforce is critically important. But this likely requires leaders to go beyond the usual, once-a-year employee engagement survey. Again, this is why I will be providing questions that can help. All you have to do is … ask!
Next week, I will launch the first Question of the Week, and it will focus on remote work. It might seem like a no-brainer that remote work makes for happy and healthy employees, but there’s one obvious question that leaders need to ask…
Tune in next week to find out!
Chris Laping is the best-selling author of People Before Things. He is also the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of People Before Things, LLC., a boutique consultancy that helps leaders galvanize people for change.
