Have you ever felt like your team doesn't respond as you expected? That you give an instruction and, instead of action, what you receive are lost looks, excuses or, worse still, uncomfortable silence. And then you ask yourself, do you not understand me? Or can they not?
Here is an uncomfortable truth: often, the problem is not your team. The problem is you.. Yeah, you. Because effective leadership is not about giving orders and waiting for things to be done alone. It's about making sure that what you're asking is clear, useful and, above all, possible.
And to achieve this, there are 3 key questions that every leader must ask before opening his mouth and asking for something. These questions will not only help you avoid frustrations, but will also make you a more effective leader, someone who not only asks, but guides and facilitates:
1. Does this really bring anything?
The first question is the most obvious, but also the one we skip the most. Is what you're asking really going to add up? Will you move the needle in the company's results? Or is it just something you came up with because you did, because "something has to be done"?
Here the common error is to confuse activity with productivity. That your team is busy doesn't mean it's moving forward. In fact, according to a study of Gallup, only 26% of employees feel that their leaders assign them tasks that have a real impact on the company's objectives. The rest are busy in activities that, although they seem urgent, do not bring value.
Before asking for something, ask yourself: is this going to generate a tangible result? If the answer is no, reconsider. Effective leadership is about prioritizing what really matters.
2. Is this viable?
Okay, suppose what you're asking does. The next question is: can it be done? Because we often ask for things that sound good in theory, but in practice they are a disaster. What?You have the necessary resources? Time, tools? If the answer is no, then you're not asking for something viable, you're asking for a miracle.
Most projects fail due to poor planning and lack of resources. And no, you can't blame your team because they didn't make it. If you don't give them what they need to do their job, the problem is not theirs, it's yours. So, before you ask, make sure that what you're asking is within the reasonable. That is effective leadership: to know what to ask and how to ask.
3. Does my team know how to do it?
This is the question that hurts us most to ask, but also the most important. Does your team know how to do what you're asking? Because, eye, it's not the same thing that something is easy for you to be easy for them. Sometimes, what is obvious to you, to them is a whole new world.
According to a study of LinkedIn94% of employees would stay longer in a company if it invested in their professional development. If your team doesn't know how to do what you're asking, no matter how many times you repeat it to them, they won't. And it's not because they don't want to, it's because they can't.
Here your job as a leader is to make sure you have the skills, training and clarity to run. If you don't, you're asking for elm pears. And that's definitely not effective leadership.
What if none of these are the problems?
If you already asked these three questions and everything seems to be in order, but your team still doesn't do what you ask, then the problem is not what you're asking, but how you're asking.
Are you being clear on your expectations? Are you following up? Or are you just dropping orders on the air and waiting for everything to be resolved alone? Because, let me tell you something: effective leadership is not just saying what to do, it is making sure it is done. And that requires being close, listening and, above all, guiding.
He asks for less, but he asks for better
At the end of the day, effective leadership is not about asking for more, but about asking for the right things. If you want your team to follow you, Make sure that what you're asking makes sense, is viable and within reach of your skills. And if not, then it's time to rethink what you're doing as a leader.
Because, in the end, a good leader is not the one who is always right, But the one who can ask the right questions.
If you want to continue to deepen how to be a leader who inspires and not just gives orders, visit calogarcia.co And listen to my podcast. There is no boring theory here, only real tools for leaders who want real results.
