If you want to really improve your organization then ask your team members specific questions and encourage them to tell you the truth. If they trust you they will….Lee

When you meet with your fellow team members together or one on one ask them specific questions that are not answered with a yes or no but must be elaborated on. Here are some great questions, which can help empower your fellow team members, encourage cost-savings ideas, and enhance customer satisfaction.

• What made you angry today?
• What took too long?
• What was the cause of any complaints today?
• What was misunderstood today?
• What costs too much?
• What was wasted?
• What was too complicated?
• What is just plain silly around here?
• What job took too many people?
• What job involved too many actions?

Think about these questions as good thought starters for our continuous improvement process.  Sometimes a good question will inspire a good solution. 

Did you ever wonder how the phrase “That’s a good question” came to be?  It is probably because someone who heard the question had never thought of it just that way.  Asking good questions often leads to far better solutions.  So at the very least, ask lots of questions to inspire better solutions, and include all of your team members.   . . . Lee

 PS: Tom….thanks for your reply on trust. You get it. That is why people trust you. I wish everyone got it.