Destination A to B & 5 Hardball Questions You Need to Ask?

This morning I was boarding a plane for a flight from Cleveland to Phoenix. As I boarded I began to think about the length of the flight. Will I try to get some extra sleep, read a book, play a game or do some work during the 4-hour and 15-minute flight. Like a lighting bolt my purpose for the trip flashes across my mind. I am looking forward to the this trip because I will see family that I haven't seen for some time. I get excited to get there and can't wait for the flight to be over and I am reunited with some of the people I love.

Now, imagine if you would the airplane bound for Phoenix takes off from Cleveland and lands at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix and taxi's to where you assume is the gate where you will be getting off the airplane to be reunited with your family. But, you noticed as you looked out the window the plane is blowing right past the terminal and heading back onto the runway. You begin to wonder, "what is going on"? The other passengers are getting a little antsy and asking the flight attendants, "what is going on?" One flight attendant can be heard telling another passenger, "the plane is getting ready for takeoff". What!

I know this is absurd but what if the plane had a mission of going from Point A to Point B and took no interest in the purpose of the passengers? The plane would have fulfilled its purpose but not that of the passengers. This happens daily in the workplace. Companies have a purpose but often are going from Point A to Point B with disregard for the purposes of those in the workforce. They never stop at the terminal so to speak. We as employers, managers, supervisors and leaders need to stop at the terminal and regularly ask five hard questions. We need to marry the purposes with our companies and our workforce's. These are questions rarely asked because we are afraid of the responses we might receive:

1. How satisfied are you with your job?

2. Do you trust me?

3. Do you see a future with this company?

4. Can you tell me where our company is headed?

5. Do you feel appreciated by the leadership?

Of course if you take the 5 Question Challenge you will need to take action on the answers. You probably won't receive "honest" answers right away but if you keep asking eventually there will be some brave souls that will step forward and answer the questions honestly. If you ask these questions and take action it will unite the two purposes of your company and your workforce. The sky is the limit!