This article has been accepted for publication in the June 2004 issue of Executive Branch, the newsletter for the Maryland Society of Association Executives

20 Questions You Can Ask To Inspire Outstanding Performance
By Barbara Brown, PhD

Outstanding performance happens when staff members both understand and appreciate the wide-sweeping impact of their actions. Everyone can clearly connect everything they do to other people, practices, or processes within their association.

To create and maintain this level of awareness and appreciation, you have to highlight these connections for your staff. This means understanding the myriad roles each staff member plays in helping your association succeed. It also means communicating this information to your staff continuously.

Introduce such information during casual conversations, when discussing problems, or at formal meetings. Consider every interaction an opportunity to emphasize how the role of your staff affects everyone and everything in your association.

Use these 20 questions to glean the information you need to start the kind of awareness and appreciation process that will inspire outstanding performance:

1. How does the work of each staff member contribute to teamwork in our office?

2. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the success of other staff members?

3. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the growth and development of other staff members?

4. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of our volunteers?

5. How does the work of each staff member help our association portray a positive image to our members and volunteers?

6. How does the work of each staff member contribute to my success as a leader?

7. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the satisfaction of our members and volunteers?

8. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the fulfillment of our vision, mission, and values?

9. How does the work of each staff member allow our association to achieve major goals?

10. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the success of the top goal for our association this year?

11. How does the work of each staff member contribute to the success of our association on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis?

12. How does the work of each staff member contribute to what our office achieves on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis?

13. How does the work of each staff member contribute to what our volunteers achieve on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis?

14. How does the work of each staff member help us fulfill our members’ needs on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis?

15. How does the work of each staff member help our office accomplish critical priorities?

16. How does the work of each staff member help our office meet crucial deadlines?

17. How does the work of each staff member help our office perform efficiently and effectively?

18. How does the work of each staff member positively impact budget expenditures and allocations?

19. How does the work of each staff member help us create a positive working environment?

20. How does the work of each staff member help us establish and maintain positive relationships with other associations?

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PERMISSION TO REPRINT: Articles, Tips, and Tools can be reprinted in company newsletters or magazines. If placed electronically, a Live Link to Dr. Brown's website must be included. Please use the following credit for every item: Dr. Barbara Brown shows organizations how to use High-Performance Leadership to create the kind of links among people, goals & performance that produce positive results. For more tips, visit: www.DrBarbaraBrown.com or email: Barbara@DrBarbaraBrown.com.