Kat, a relatively new member of our team, was recently seconded into Trish’s business, Workshop Advisor, for a specific project. Trish sent Kat the following in an email:
“If you thought about your top 3 work activities you like doing, what would they be, in order? I'm a huuuuge believer in me and others working to their strengths, which includes not just what they're good at, but what gives them energy (i.e. what they like doing). By the way, this is a genuine question, so don't tailor it to what you think I want to hear. And if you want to put more than 3, go ahead.”
What great questions to ask a team member. What activities give you energy? What do you like doing?
I read that and thought to myself I want to work for Trish (Trish is my wife btw, in case you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting her). I’ve never had a boss or a manager ask me anything remotely like that.
I then had a somewhat more sobering thought. I’ve read Marcus Buckingham and I’m also a huge believer in working to your strengths, and yet I don’t know what activities give my own team energy.
The final takeaway from this? How good a job are you doing to make sure your most important team member (i.e. you) is spending most of their time doing work they love and work that gives them energy?
Love to hear your thoughts on just how awesome my wife is, or anything else I’ve rambled on about? You can leave them below.
