Questions to engage the humanity in your team

🎾 What is your tennis ball? I have a few, but more of that later.

When you start, as team leader, to engage with a new team, do you get straight into the business? Do you maybe set a few expectations and then kick off into a dry old agenda.

I've been some fabulous teams - great because of the way that they were led as much as anything. The one thing that these team leaders did was to create the space for people over agenda. Each of these leaders began each meeting with a question that helped us know and better appreciate our peers. Anything from "Where did you go for your break?" to two truths and a lie (a fun game, look it up).

One great question you could ask is "What is your tennis ball?" It is sufficiently novel to trigger good reflection and a much better way of asking "What is your passion?".

I.e., what is the one thing that engages you just like the way a dog chases a tennis ball?

Truly knowing your teammates is one way of seeing their strengths more than their weaknesses. Facilitating the humanity of teams, as an opener to a meeting, invariably brings better energy.

My tennis balls then? Leading teams, conversation and brains - and yes I struggle when all three are thrown.

❓ So what is your tennis ball?