Hi folks,
As promised, this article is about soft skills. Many developers, myself included, have made the mistake of focusing only on hard skills, assuming that soft skills aren’t as important. But that’s not true—soft skills are just as essential as technical expertise.
In this article, I’ll share 10 powerful questions—five for managers and five for developers—to help improve team communication, motivation, and transparency. These questions can foster a strong and engaged team while preventing surprises like, "I want to switch teams" or "We’re not going to continue working with you."
5 Questions from a Manager/Lead's Perspective
First question
How is it going? The question itself isn’t bad, but one-on-one meetings typically have limited time. Rephrasing it as, 'What has been your biggest success this week or since our last meeting?' helps start the conversation in a more meaningful way, and when someone highlights something, you can build follow-up questions based on that information.
Second question
How can I help you? The question itself isn’t bad, but some developers might not answer honestly either it implies they are struggling and need help or they can not do something. Instead, you could ask something like, 'What is the most complicated part of your daily tasks?' The answer to this question can help address two issues at once.
For example, I once received an answer like, 'The most challenging part is doing the markup.' The solution was quite simple: we split the tasks into two parts, assigned the markup work to another developer, and had the original person act as a reviewer. Additionally, he attended some markup courses to improve his knowledge. As a result, his daily tasks became less challenging, reducing frustration and burnout. After four months, we no longer needed to split the tasks.
Third question
Is there anything in your tasks that seems unnecessary or meaningless? Asking this question might reveal areas of miscommunication or highlight where the team lacks sufficient information. As a manager or tech lead, your role is to align your goals with the team's goals. If someone doesn’t understand a task or sees it as meaningless, achieving it becomes nearly impossible.
Fourth question
"Is there any work that’s been undervalued?" From a lead or manager’s point of view, it might seem like just a ticket moving from one column to another on the board. But for a developer, it could represent hours of hard work. If the manager or lead doesn’t acknowledge this for any reason, the developer might feel upset or lead to demotivation. Asking this question can help you understand the developer's perspective and prevent a process known as "negativity bias." I personally rephrase it as "the empty space always fills with bad thoughts."
Fifth question
"Could you please rate the complexity/interest level of your tasks on a scale from 1 to 10?" These types of questions allow you to track a person's progress. I wouldn’t recommend asking them in every session, but it’s important to take notes to monitor changes over time. Tracking is important, but acting on the results is what truly matters.
5 Questions from a Developer's Perspective
First question
"Is there anything I should be doing that I'm not doing?" Asking this question can lead to new insights. You might discover unmet expectations or growth opportunities. For example, I once learned I should focus more on mentoring junior developers, which led me to improve my code reviews and task breakdowns.
Second question
"In what case should I ask for your help?" Leads and managers are often busy with meetings. This question, along with the next one, helps establish a clear guideline for when it's appropriate to ask for help. In many teams, there are no defined patterns for when someone should seek assistance versus when they should try to solve a problem on their own. Additionally, it's important to consider that a new team member might be hesitant to ask for help or, on the other hand, might seek guidance on every small issue.
Third question
"What situations do I need to notify you of?" Similar to the previous question, this one helps clarify communication boundaries. As a manager or tech lead, I don’t need to be informed about everything—such as the installation of an npm package or minor code refactoring. However, I do need to be notified about critical issues like production incidents, blockers affecting the team, unexpected delays, architectural decisions, or dependencies that could impact delivery. Defining these boundaries ensures smooth communication and helps avoid unnecessary disruptions while keeping everyone aligned on what truly matters.
Forth question
"What growth points do you see now?" It is a great question because it encourages proactive thinking about personal and professional development. It fosters a culture of continuous improvement and helps tailor development plans, such as training, mentorship, or new responsibilities, based on the person's aspirations. Sometimes, a developer feels stuck or unsure of their next steps. Discussing growth opportunities ensures you stay engaged, challenged, and motivated.
Fifth question
"Is there something I haven't asked or told you?" is a great question because it creates an open space for discussion and helps uncover important topics that might have been missed. Also it signals that you're genuinely interested in hearing anything that might be on the other person’s mind, even if it wasn’t covered in the conversation.
Final Thoughts
There are many great questions beyond the ones I’ve covered here. These aren’t my own inventions—they come from books, conferences, and videos that have shaped my perspective. Some excellent resources include Herding Cats by J. Hank Rainwater and Radical Respect by Kim Scott.
By incorporating these questions into your one-on-ones, you can build stronger relationships, improve communication, and create a more engaged team. Let me know what you think or if you have any other great questions to add!
Cheers!
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