Good leaders know to ask questions. Great leaders know how to ask the right questions. When you gather your team around the table, it’s crucial to ask the right questions.
Every Tuesday, I gather my team to debrief the previous Sunday and plan for the upcoming week(s). Debriefing is important to celebrate what went well and to adjust what didn’t. Planning is important to execute things well and make sure everyone’s on the same page.
In order to debrief well, here are some questions that I might ask:
- What were the ‘wins’? What went well?
- What didn’t go well? What needs to be improved?
- What stories did you hear from volunteers, children or parents?
- Does anything need to be fixed or replaced?
- What volunteer(s) needs an encouraging word this week?
- Who can we personally thank this week? [This is usually done with a handwritten note.]
When moving forward in planning for what’s coming up, I typically ask one or more of these questions, depending on what we’re working on:
- What events are coming up this week? What prep needs to be made?
- Are there any supplies that need to be replenished/purchased/ordered/borrowed?
- What needs to be communicated to our volunteers?
- What needs to be communicated to parents (via email, snail mail, newsletter, social media or website)?
- Who’s responsible for what? What are the action steps?
Keep the conversation going! What questions are asked at your team meetings?
