I've never liked the idea of New Year's resolutions, but this year I made one. It was to think more about the right questions to ask my team than the right answers to give them. These might not be the ones you would ask, but they are the ones I thought of for my own company so maybe they will be useful for yours.

1.Do you understand the Founder's Vision?

2.Is the Vision personally relevant to you?

3.Do you understand what the plan is to reach the Vision?

4.Do you know what your part of the action is in the organization's quest for the Vision?

5.Do you have the tools you need to do your part?

6.Are people generally approachable when you need help?

7.Do you have one or two particular people that you do great work with?

8.Does it feel like there is enough to go around at the company or do you feel like you have to share paper clips and ration coffee?

9.Do you get frequent updates on where the organization is on its quest?

10. Do you get energized by your work?

11.Do you find yourself thinking about things you could do that haven't been assigned to you or aren't in your job description or on your task list?

12. Do you feel connected to others at work - both teammates and customers?

13.Do you feel you have a mission that is like a spiritual one?

14.Does it seem natural to be doing what you are doing?

15.Are you given enough responsibility at work?

16.Are you given enough respect at work?

17.Are you given enough rewards at work?

18.Are you given the kind of rewards you like?

19.Are you given the kind of feedback you like?

20.Are you given enough feedback at the right time?

In case you're wondering, I didn't hand this out as an assignment. I'm thinking of it as more of a gift. Not the questions as a gift to them, but their answers as a gift to me.

  Dr. Janice Presser is President of The Gabriel Institute, a professional services company and innovator in workforce management and assessment, strategic planning and training. TGI is the originator of Role-based assessment, a tool used for pre-employment screening, enhancing performance and preventing workplace conflict.  TGI can be found on the web at www.thegabrielinstitute.com.

Dr. Presser has a broad range of expertise including individual improvement, behavioral assessment, adult learning models, interpersonal competencies, leadership development, HR management, strategic planning and conflict resolution.  Trained in systems-oriented psychotherapy as well as research and development, she is the author of five books and is a frequent speaker on leadership assessment and development, customer service, motivation, HR and organizational development.