If you’ve ever felt like your team isn’t quite operating at full capacity, you’re not alone. Studies show that only 21% of employees strongly agree that they are managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work. That means nearly 80% of teams have untapped potential just waiting to be unleashed.

So how do you bridge the gap between where your team is now and where they could be?

You start by asking the right questions.

Here are five powerful questions you can use to unlock your team’s hidden potential—backed by psychology, leadership research, and real-world experience.

1. What’s one thing holding you back from doing your best work?

It’s easy to assume that if someone isn’t performing at their highest level, they just need more motivation. But in reality, environmental barriers often play a bigger role than we think.

Research insight: According to a study by McKinsey, employees who feel their work environment supports them are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged than those who don’t.

This could mean:

• They need clearer priorities.
• They’re overwhelmed with unnecessary meetings.
• They don’t have the right tools to do their job effectively.

When you ask this question, listen carefully to their answer. Sometimes, a small tweak—like eliminating an inefficient process—can unlock significant performance gains.

2. What part of your role excites you the most?

Most leaders focus on fixing weaknesses, but what if the key to unlocking potential is doubling down on strengths?

Research insight: A Gallup study found that teams that focus on strengths every week see a 19% increase in sales and a 29% increase in profit.

By identifying what excites each team member, you can:

• Align work with their natural strengths.
• Give them projects that keep them engaged.
• Foster a culture where people bring their best energy to work.

Encourage them to reflect on when they feel “in the zone” at work. This helps you match responsibilities to their natural motivators.

3. What’s one thing we should start doing (or stop doing) as a team?

When Google researched what makes high-performing teams (Project Aristotle), one of the top factors was psychological safety—the ability to speak up without fear of judgment.

Research insight: Teams with high psychological safety perform 20% better than those without it (Harvard Business Review).

This question empowers your team to share what’s working and what’s not—without hesitation. You might hear things like:

• “We should stop last-minute requests that throw off our workflow.”
• “We should start celebrating small wins more often.”

Tip: If you ask this question in a meeting, give people time to think beforehand. Some of the best insights come when people have space to process.

4. If you were leading this team, what would you do differently?

Want to develop future leaders? This question shifts their perspective from an employee mindset to a leadership mindset.

Research insight: 75% of employees leave their job due to poor leadership—not salary. (LinkedIn).

When you empower your team to think like leaders, they start to take ownership of their work. It also gives you insight into what you can do better as a leader.

A few responses you might get:

• “I’d create clearer goals for the team.”
• “I’d make our meetings more focused and action-driven.”
• “I’d find ways to make cross-team collaboration easier.”

This question builds a culture of continuous improvement—not just for your team, but for you too.

5. What skill do you want to develop this year?

The best leaders aren’t just focused on team performance—they’re invested in individual growth too.

Research insight: A Deloitte survey found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development.

Help your team members identify skills they want to develop, whether it’s leadership, technical expertise, or communication. Then, support them with resources like:

• Access to online courses (LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Udemy).
• Mentorship opportunities.
• Time to work on passion projects that build skills.

When people see you genuinely care about their development, they don’t just work harder—they work smarter.

Start Today

Unlocking your team’s hidden potential isn’t about micromanaging, pushing harder, or adding more pressure. It’s about creating the right environment where people can do their best work.

Start by integrating these five questions into your one-on-ones, team meetings, or even informal check-ins. You might be surprised by what you learn—and the results that follow.

Which question are you most excited to ask your team this week? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear!

Whenever you are ready, there are 2 ways I can help:

👉Follow me on LinkedIn: Join 69,000+ other leaders to learn the specific strategies to engineer your ideal life through mindset, habits, and systems. Click HERE to follow me.

👉 High-Performance Coaching:  I help busy professionals lead high performing teams with scientifically-backed systems and habits. Click HERE for a free 30-minute strategy session. Together, we’ll pave the way to your success.