The Question That Changed How I Lead

Here’s a question that changed the way I lead.

It’s 2009, and I’ve just been promoted to lead daily operation of a new company. I schedule one-on-one meetings to get to know my new team. Sarah, a manager, complains to me, “I don’t want to put in too much effort because my boss doesn’t respect my opinion, so I just sit on the sidelines and wait for her to tell me what to do.” My heart sinks. She goes on to tell me how nobody knows how they fit in. Nobody thinks their work matters. Nobody seems to even know what they’re doing.

As I stare back in disbelief, I ask, “Tell me something, Sarah, why are you here?”

“I’ve never been asked that question, I don’t really know. I don’t know if anyone knows.”

And that’s when it hits me! That is the question I should be asking.

Why are you here?

It’s not even a question I meant to ask, and in that moment, I wonder: how does answering that question unlock potential and spark transformation?

Employees will never engage if they don’t know how they fit in and why their work matters! Sarah’s answer is a breakthrough for me.

Since that day, I have been asking that question, “Why Are You Here?”, and it has helped unlock potential in tons of people. That one question seems to have magic powers, and it generates solutions that improve the client journey, the employee experience, and financial performance.

When your team is stuck, ask that question: Why Are You Here? And get ready for the transformation.

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