So, you've gotten that great leadership job, or promotion, or move into a new role you've been seeking. Congratulations!
You’ve heard various things about your new leader—or maybe not, and/or maybe you have a theory or two about them.
But what do you REALLY need to know?
Starting off day one asking your new boss a barrage of questions may or may not work, and that depends on the culture (in some organizations they’ve formalized that process), cues they give you, and, of course, what else is going on.
So whether you ask these questions directly, or get to know about them as you work together, it’s great to have your antennae up for the following:
1. What are the most important things someone working for you should know about you?
2. What was it about your best-rated employee in the last year or two that earned your admiration and respect?
3. What really fires you up – what do you most like to focus your time and energy doing or thinking about?
4. What are your top “do’s and don’ts” for those reporting to you?
5. What are the values that guide you in the workplace?
6. What are your pet peeves , and beyond those, what really annoys / irritates you?
7. Do you like / prefer to have “one-on-one” meetings regularly? How often? Do you prefer I come with an agenda, or have it be more free-flowing?
8. When you delegate , how do you like to be kept informed of progress?
9. Are you more of a hands-on type, or more of a hands-off type? If you’re in the middle, what prompts you to be more one than the other?
10. What’s your agenda look like right now – that is, what’s most important to you in the next three to six months, and what can I do to help you to achieve?
Bonus questions:
What are you up against right now?
What are the biggest barriers or obstacles you need to face and overcome?
How can I help?