Here is today's quick question for you...​What do we struggle to talk about?

Ask it when you're...

1. Reflecting on psychosocial safety  - What conversations do your team seem to find difficult? Which ones do they avoid altogether? Looking at what’s not working can create opportunities to build safety together.

2. Reviewing progress on a critical project - This is a helpful way to identify and manage potential risks.

3. Developing brand and marketing strategy - Taking the customer's perspective can create new insights into the places where you lack clarity in thinking and messaging.

Here is today's quick question for you...​Which conversations strengthen our team?

Ask it when you're...

1. Reflecting on your ways of working  - As your team drives for success, it’s important to reflect on which habits and rituals are helping you get there (and which ones aren’t!)

2. Wondering what’s missing - Sometimes, identifying the (important) conversations you’re not having can make the biggest difference to your team's effectiveness.

3. Comparing notes with peers - It can be helpful to have open conversations with peers about conversations that have forged new bonds in your respective teams. They may be able to offer new perspectives by sharing their experiences and analysing yours.

Quick Question: What does it mean (to us) to be a team?

Ask it when you're...

1. Introducing a new structure  - Uncertainty features in any restructure, no matter how small. New teams galvanise around shared values and principles - which emerge through understanding what it means to be a team.

2. Role modelling your desired leadership culture - Demonstrating a genuine desire to understand your team will help build a culture of openness and inclusivity.

3. Observing unhelpful behaviours  - In asking for high performance, you’re likely to see a range of behaviours in the team. Some are highly individualistic and perhaps even destructive. You can set the standard by aligning on what it means to be a team.

Quick Question: How clear is our purpose?

Ask it when you're...

1. Starting a new venture  - Purpose is your magnet to attract investors, customers and team members. It’s often the reason people join you - and the reason why they stay, even when things aren’t going so well.

2. Making decisions - Purpose forms the roots from which your company grows. It creates guardrails for your biggest and your smallest decisions.

3. Sensing confusion or tension within your team  - If your purpose isn’t precise, aspirational, credible and perceived as important, your team will find it tough to align their behaviours with the company values.

   For more information about the impact of purpose on your team’s success, check out my free ebook, Scaling Teams.

Quick Question: Why does our team exist?

Ask it when you're...

1. Kicking off a planning cycle  - It might be your 5-year strategy, an annual plan or even a quarterly update.

2. Onboarding a new team member - Give your newest recruit a head start by initiating a conversation with the entire team about what you’re all about and how they fit in.

3. Facing resistance from internal stakeholders.