By Steve Motenko

To make it real, be like Patricia (see blog post below).  Think like a leader.  If you’re a boss, be in the business of asking questions and finding collaborative solutions.

Ask questions like the ones Patricia asked, and request total honesty, guaranteed recrimination-free, in the process.  Questions like:

1. On your best days, what makes you proud of the work you do?  What makes it fun?
2. On your worst days, what makes you want to throw your hands up in frustration – or worse yet, quit?
3. What would make you more effective at your job?
4. What would make your job fit you better?
5. How would you describe your relationships with your customers and your suppliers?  And how would you make them better?
6. If we were to look at the impact of what we do and how we do it on ALL our stakeholders – our employees, customers, suppliers, investors, our town – even the planet, because no organization can get away anymore with putting anything toxic into the environment in the name of profit – if we were to explore our impact, what would we find?

These are the kinds of questions the most evolved leaders ask. And when they ask, they listen.  And when they listen, they find the time to act.