5 Essential Questions Every Executive Should Ask Their Team During Change
When things go sideways during complex change, leaders often fall into the trap of firefighting instead of facilitating. But the most effective executives pause to ask—not assume. These five questions aren’t soft—they’re strategic. They help your team reconnect, realign, and rebuild momentum when the pressure is high and uncertainty is growing.
At Tenacious Leadership Institute, we’ve worked with senior leaders in global companies who’ve watched their best teams start to unravel—despite their talent, dedication, and shared purpose. The common thread? When disruption strikes, even high performers can lose their rhythm. Priorities blur. Tension builds. Energy gets wasted in the gaps between people, not just systems.
But there’s a way forward that doesn’t rely on more speed or control. The executives who navigate complexity best don’t power through alone. They pause. They reconnect. And most importantly, they ask the right questions—not to solve everything immediately, but to unlock clarity, restore ownership, and rebuild trust.
Here are five questions that help your team reconnect, realign, and rebuild momentum:
1. “What feels most unclear or confusing right now?”
Disruption clouds clarity. Before people can take focused action, they need to name where the fog is. This question surfaces misalignments or uncertainty before they become paralysis.
2. “What’s one thing we need to stop doing this week?”
When teams are overwhelmed, energy is wasted on outdated habits or unnecessary complexity. This question invites permission to let go of what no longer serves the mission. This gives you a snapshot of what people find draining or distracting in the moment.
3. “Where do you feel friction—and what’s one small shift we could try?”
Friction isn’t failure. It’s feedback. This question helps teams move from venting to creative problem-solving by pairing emotion with agency. This opens the door for experimentation rather than defensiveness.
4. “What’s working that we might be overlooking?”
In disruption, the brain fixates on problems. But every breakdown has bright spots—ways people are adapting or supporting each other. This question reinforces momentum and resilience. Neuroscience shows that naming positive actions builds psychological safety and strengthens learning pathways.
5. “What do you need from me right now as your leader?”
This is the game-changer. It reinforces that leadership is relational, not positional. It invites vulnerability and partnership—especially when pressure is high. Expect a range of answers—from “clarity” to “space to breathe.” Listen without defensiveness.
These questions aren’t soft—they’re strategic. They help your team pause, reflect, and regroup so they can move forward together, not just faster.
Want a clearer picture of your disruption-readiness?
Book a Disruption Leadership Audit with our team and receive personalized insights and strategies for your context.
Let’s make your leadership a stabilizing force—no matter the storm.
Leadership Practice
Quick Reset With Your Team
In your next team meeting, block 15 minutes for a “reset.”
Choose two of the five questions from this article and pose them to the group.
Invite written reflections first, then share aloud. Listen deeply. Don’t rush solutions.
Your presence and curiosity will do more to restore momentum than a dozen new tasks.
Author
Athena Williams, Founder and CEO of Tenacious Leadership Institute, has been supporting leaders worldwide to become more tenacious for over 20 years. She has found that tenacity is the key to sustained leadership success in today’s ever-changing world. Through her coaching and leadership development programs, she helps leaders expertly handle change, complexity and other challenges so they can quickly get better results for themselves, their teams and their organizations.
Take the first step to becoming a tenacious leader by scheduling a call with us.
