22 Team Building Questions For 2022

When we started the year, many businesses started off thinking "let's get back to business as usual." We all know now, that is just never going to happen. Not only has life not gone back to "normal" but the expectations for the workplace environment have changed. If we are not asking the right questions, we are not getting further down the road. We will simply tread water until employees get tired and will find another pool where someone smarter has found new innovative ways to get further down the road instead of exhausting their team to stay in place. 

You may be asking how can I know if we are treading or swimming? So let's jump into 22 questions you should be asking yourself and your team in 2022:

1. What is my purpose within this team?

The goal of this question is to identify if the employee knows how the team benefits from their skillset and are they being utilized in their strengths.

2. Have I compartmentalized my responsibilities?

As we all know 2020 left us being employees, parents, spouses, friends and family members all on a different level. All are vitally important so allowing yourself to break down time for each can help us to not get back into the rat race and also to be able to focus on each thing fully within its allotted time to not give opportunity for burn out.

3. Am I clearly outlining expectations?

Grey area leadership leads to frustration and conflict. Allowing a space of guesswork only opens for conflict. Meaning if you tell your employees to do their best but have an actual quota they have to fill, the employee MUST be told upfront there is a quota and a deadline but how you get there is your choice. No grey area guesswork and no sudden surprises to alleviate frustration on both parts.

4. Do I know who I work with?

Asking yourself if you honestly know your manager or boss is a valid question. Are they approachable and conversational because connection before correction is vital. Notice how hard it is to take advice from someone who just always puts you down but how easy it is to go to an elder and ask for advice. Both are giving advice, how you receive it is in the approach.

5. Am I celebrating or tolerating?

A great deal of 2022 turnaround is not in who has the better 401k package it is in the environment. Does my workplace believe in my success or am I tolerated enough to give me a paycheck?

6. How much time a day have I allotted for listening?

So many managers, parents, board members come in with ideas and concepts they want to be accepted. Everyone is quick to give advice but not many people stop and listen. Did you hear the girl crying in the bathroom? Did you hear so and so is having a baby? You may think the workplace is no place for personal lives but taking 15 minutes to ask so and so to come to your office and ask how are you feeling about being a first time dad, might just be the thing that wins the employee for a lifetime.

7. Did I listen to remember?

Many times I have heard the statement 'do you know how many times I have already told you that.' This statement comes from frustration because there is nothing more frustrating than talking to someone who doesn't listen. Employees stop communicating when it feels as though their voices fall upon deaf ears.

8. What is the collective goal?

57.3 % is the average corporate turnover. The average non-profit turnover is 19%. I believe this is because there is no guesswork in the purpose of their job. Identifying purpose is violently important.

9. Did I train you to do that?

Many times a 'mistake' is made because the employee did not clearly understand how a process is to work. Someone who takes responsibility in saying 'We never went over that I apologize' goes a lot longer than 'I expected you to figure it out.'

10. Am I teaching perseverance?

As a coach, I spend 50% of my time preparing someone for failure. I can teach you all day long how to listen, how to communicate, and how to project plan however if you can't take a no it won't go far. So preparing others for the No's will make them more resilient and therefore they will last longer without throwing in the towel and quitting.

11. Are we learning resolution?

Workplace drama can fuel by passive leadership. If two people are not working well together and the solution is just to ignore it then be prepared for it to get worse. Root issues are never easy to identify but they are worth the time. When you can identify the issue you can extract a problem or help others to diminish conflict. 

12. Where is my threshold?

Productivity decrease can result in outside elements. It can be caused by exhaustion, grief, lack of endorphins, lack of sunshine, etc. Sometimes the greatest thing you can do for a stressed-out member of the team is to encourage that person to go for a walk, yoga class, or other activity that gives them permission to put themselves first for a moment.

13. Do I deflect or defend?

When in the hot seat it takes a strong leader to lay down and defend their team instead of deflecting when uncomfortable. People perform better when they have the trust that you will have their back. Who wants to give their all to someone who might stab them in the back?

14. Does my 1:1 time have personal intention?

There is nothing more stale than hearing the same 5 questions every week that everyone else hears too. You want to believe you are going to hear something that personally benefits your growth and not the companies.

15. Do I want to be here?

No one wants someone who doesn't want to be there and yet it's an often glazed-over question. Ask anyone who has had a teacher who hates her job and should not be teaching kids. Or playing a basketball game with a kid who doesn't even like basketball. We ask this of our employees but are we asking this of ourselves?

16. Do I need a better system?

Have you ever switched jobs because a company had better working resources? The same works for systems. How technology is our who life, it isn't a matter of if we have the technology it is how well do our systems talk to each other. Are you bogging your team down with too many systematic processes that should be integrated for faster productivity?

17. What is my reputation?

This is a double flipped coin. The reputation of the company and the reputation of your management can make or break a prospecting client and/or employee. In today's world jobs are endless and people who want to work are few. You do not have time to reputation rebuild because you have failed to put the proper time into communication and connection.

18. Can I trust her/him?

When you hire somebody the trust has to be like a marriage. I trust you to show up and do what you promise and in exchange, I will have your back. It is a two-way street. Don't hire people who then you micromanage, either you trust them or you don't. Give them the knowledge to succeed so they aren't guessing who they are married to however you don't want to be the one who's checking someone's location on their phone and reading through text messages when you use the face ID while she sleeps do you?

19. Am I projecting?

Insecurities can make you a miserable suspecting person. Making someone pay for someone else's sins is depressing. Suspecting others on your team because the last guy or the last girl did such and such is absurd. If you can't see a new person straight for their benefit you may need to be the one who steps back. This is a workplace PTSD symptom and you may need council. 

20. Is it hurting the bottom line? Then why do I care?

Someone once told me that kids not leaving their room spotless doesn't actually affect my ability to live in the house. I argued that it was disrespectful but then that's my problem that I "feel" disrespected right? So an employee who sells but doesn't do it the way you'd like doesn't hurt the bottom line if she doesn't like to wear shoes in the office does it?

21. Are education breaks a part of the week? 

Employees feel more benefit from a company if they are a resource. Who wants to work at a company for 10 years and say 'I learned nothing.' Allow space for further education, and by education, I do not mean here is how you can work for us better, provide a masterclass on something you may have never thought about.

22. Do I have a voice?

Am I leading my team into a new generation? Am I a parrot for what others are telling me I should be doing? Am I leading from experience or culture? What kind of manager do I want to be as opposed to what is being asked of me and am I advocating for what I believe to be a great leader. 

When you lead from the heart and stand for your team, your team will stand for you. All good things come from practicing leadership.

-Izzy Gentry

clvplanners.com