One of the most prevalent characteristics shared by high-impact leaders is an unending sense of curiosity. They are always eager to learn — about themselves, their employees and the world outside. While many people are innately inquisitive creatures, it is also possible to cultivate this sense of curiosity, thereby expanding one's potential to learn and grow, according to strategy + business.
One way to become more curious is to build deliberate reflection into your daily schedule. "Ritual questions," or set of questions that are considered every day, can be a simple yet effective tool for improving your leadership skills.
Here are five examples of ritual questions that can be useful for leaders, according to the report.
- "What encounter did I handle particularly well today and why?"
- "What encounter do I believe the other person in the exchange thinks I handled well and why?"
- "What encounter did I handle poorly today and why?"
- "What encounter do I believe the other person in the exchange thinks I handled poorly and why?"
- "What do we know today that we didn't know yesterday?"
Reflecting on both positive and negative experiences from various perspectives allows one to develop a more nuanced and deeper understanding of strengths and weaknesses.
While such awareness is particularly important for leaders, all employees could benefit from similar reflection. Incorporating ritual questions at the end of meetings, in addition to individual reflection, can improve communication and help resolve employee concerns.