Five Questions You Can Ask Instead Of “How Are You?”

#2: What work is most exciting you this week?

#3: What new ideas are giving you energy lately?

#4: Tell me one thing you’ve learned recently that inspired you.

#5: What is one thing we could do right now to make this (day, project, event) even better?

As parents, we find Question 1 yields significantly more information than the grunts our children offered in response to, “How are you?” The way we’ve framed it here, it’s most useful for an end-of-day greeting. But you can reframe it to, “What are you most looking forward to about your day?” to spark some positive energy in the morning.

In the workplace, asking Question 2 can yield invaluable information about the work activities that give your team members energy. Listen closely and the question can help you identify your colleague’s strengths and passions; align those two things with your work, and you can expect an increase in productivity and engagement. Beyond that, this question, often reveals the small ideas and accomplishments that might not make it into a bi-weekly check-in, but that are worth celebrating.

Though similar to question 2, Question 3 differs in that it targets opportunities for innovation. As a leader, you can welcome the half-baked ideas and emerging thoughts that are beginning to tickle your team members’ minds. Find ways to build in the areas of these new ideas, and you’ll find a short cut to the traditional research and development process.

Bob Quinn, of University of Michigan’s Center for Positive Organizations, says that the most rewarding leadership development often occurs through two channels: through crisis situations (which most of us would prefer to avoid) or through self-reflection. Question 4 invites a mini-moment of self-reflection as you seek out a recent source of inspiration. Additionally, this question can help extend learning throughout your team as members share the insights that inspire them.

Finally, Question 5 can help you make a quick environmental scan for small, incremental changes that could make a big impact over time. While the question, “What could make this day better?” will occasionally earn responses such as, “Donuts!,” it will also earn responses that can point toward small changes that are quick wins.

There are endless ways to makeover the tired question, “How are you?” We welcome your suggestions (share them on Twitter at @ValuesDriven). Most importantly, whatever questions you choose, make sure they invite sincere engagement and probe for positive energy. We look forward to hearing your suggestions.