Questions New CEOs Should Ask

  1. What are the greatest opportunities we haven’t yet capitalized on? 
  2. What are the greatest threats that could end this storied franchise if not addressed? 
  3. What is the one thing I could do to screw it up?
  4. What do you hope will change? 
  5. What should not change? 
  6. What aren’t people telling me that I need to know? 
  7. What am I not hearing that I should be hearing?

8 Questions for Choosing a New Board Leader

Use these eight questions to guide your search for a new board leader.

  1. Are we aligned on the qualities we’re looking for? Boards should be searching for someone who can maintain a collegial yet objective relationship with the CEO that is built on trust; with relevant strategic experience to help guide the company in the right direction; and with the courage to challenge management and the

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Reflective Recognition Questions

Reflective recognition gives you, the leader, a window into what matters most to another person while at the same time, helping employees get to present their own progress and accomplishments. What’s more? When employees stop and reflect on their own achievements, how they’ve tackled challenges, and how they’ve made progress, it is great for engagement, too. The first step is to empower your employees to … [ Read more ]

9 Questions to Ask When Making a Difficult Strategic Decision

  1. Why now?
  2. Is this a reversible or an irreversible decision?
  3. If irreversible, what makes it so? Can I break it down into multiple smaller decisions, some of which may be reversible?
  4. What factors won’t change in 10 years? How much of our plan is optimizing for durable traits versus betting on new trends and traits that will change?
  5. How do we know we are succeeding in our goal?
  6. What are

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35 Impactful Questions Managers Should Ask Themselves Regularly

Questions For Gauging Team Morale

  1. Who haven’t I heard from?
  2. How well do I know my team members? How well do they know each other?
  3. Have I made a difference to each member of my team this week? (related: Have I checked in with each employee this week to see how they’re doing?)
  4. Have I expressed gratitude to every single person on my team recently?
  5. Is anyone a flight risk?

… [ Read more ]

5 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Their Direct Reports

Before asking questions as a manager, it’s critical to know what motivates employees to stay with an organization and why. Gallup research shows 12 needs managers can meet to improve employee engagement, including:

  • Prioritizing employee development
  • Facilitating a sense of purpose
  • Caring about employees
  • Considering employee opinions
  • Focusing on employee strengths

These five measures map closely with research recently published by HBR on [ Read more ]

360-Review Questions for an Executive

  • What do her strongest allies say about her?
  • What are her strongest strengths?
  • What do her harshest critics say about her?
  • What are her development opportunities? Her weaknesses, blind spots, and obstacles?
  • When she is trying to influence you, how does she do it?
  • How do you describe her leadership style?
  • What environments bring out the worst in her?
  • Do you think she’s more external facing or more internal facing? Do you

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Business Model Innovation Questions

The following questions, based on BCG research into the characteristics of robust, resilient business models, can help you navigate this part of the process:

  • Can the business model scale effectively? Can it be replicated across all your business units or the markets you serve, without diminishing returns?
  • Will the business model differentiate your brand or product and make it more competitive in the marketplace?
  • Will it reduce

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10 Proactive Questions Every Board Member Should Be Asking

  1. If you designed the agenda, what would be on it?
  2. What is the executive not telling you that you feel you need to know?
  3. How is the external world changing in ways that are not reflected in your board conversations?
  4. What don’t you know about the company that you’re most concerned about?
  5. What do you see always being discussed but never resolved?
  6. What are you not discussing that you need

… [ Read more ]

Executive Level Cybersecurity Questions

Far too many boards and CEOs see cybersecurity as a set of technical initiatives and edicts that are the domain of the CIO, chief security officer and other technical practitioners. In doing so, they overlook the perils of corporate complexity—and the power of simplicity—when it comes to cyber risk. We’d propose, in fact, that leaders who are serious about cybersecurity need to translate simplicity and … [ Read more ]