Below are some of the comments we received from our question asking clients and CorpWar readers, "After pleasantries, what is the most important question a boss can ask a subordinate when meeting him or her in the hallway?"

As you can see there’s a centricity around questions that empower the person that’s being asked (the subordinate). This is great since part of a leader’s role is to provide leadership opportunities to those below him or her in the organization. We also received several comments via e-mail that suggested asking an important question in the hallway diminishes the question’s importance, e.g., because the venue itself suggests the asker doesn’t really want a thoughtful, considered answer. Perhaps, but clearly many of you are partial to what Bill Hewlett called “management by walking around” and thus think the hallway is a perfectly valid place to spark creativity and initiate positive change.

Some of these questions are so good that we’re going to incorporate them into Executive Location, a stream-lined executive recruiting tool we’re working on for spring. For more information, or to be part of the beta test, click here: Executive Location

Hopefully you can take something away from the reader comments below. Ultimately they are all about adding sustainable shareholder value. Something this readership, as a whole, has a pretty good track record of doing.

T. S. Newhart email
CEO, Parcon Research

Reader Comments

Name_Initials: yb
Title: VP Strategic Central Planning
Company: Disney

I think a boss who genuinely asks "what's on your mind" or "what ideas have you been thinking about for the business" will be able to drive and understand the business. A boss that then follows up, acknowledges the idea, or addresses why/why not to use it will gain employee respect, loyalty and an extra 20% in effort. Most employees usually have some burning idea or question that really can't be addressed in the normal formats. The second most important thing I've found has been to ask an employee what they've been working on - usually has turned up some interesting information that has been lost in the management food chain and gives the employee a chance to show their stuff to the boss.

Name_Initials: KFG
Title: HRD
Company: FedEx

"Your project is important to me. How do you want me to help?" ...this is Eve's apple, Pandora's Box, the power of Hercules' Ring, and power of Gollum's Ring ("my precious") wrapped up in one 30-second moment. OPPORTUNITIES: a) Executive support at the highest level; b) Constructive (not random) help because you tell the "boss" what you want; c) Barrier Busting (if there is a barrier to bust); d) Visibility (how many opportunities like this come along?); e) An opportunity to impress/align/bond (...a good response could lead to a conversation, which could lead to an alliance). RISKS: a) Executive support - CLM (because you skipped levels and engaged ... a board member (or any other highest level) directly); b) Destructive Top-Down Governance (if you've been building peer relationships and now the "big boss" engages, all relationships change); c) Barrier Busting- Compliance vs. Cooperation (now, people may dronishly comply instead of intelligently engage); d) Visibility (this is a double-edged sword); e) An opportunity to alienate (an old lawyer proverb... "don't ask a question you don't already know the answer to" ... if you ask for help in a direction the "big boss" doesn't want to go, you are in trouble.

Name_Initials: JBT
Title: President & General Manager

Name_Initials: AB
Title: Managing Director

How are you going to make us some money today?

Name_Initials: P Leonard
Title: EVP

OR If you stayed in the same industry, where else would you want to work and why?

Name_Initials: EZ
Title: Chairman

The most important question a boss can ask a subordinate is "Are you having fun?" The second most important question is "Tell me how what you are working on connects to the top priorities of the Corporation."

Name_Initials: sn
Title: CEO

Name_Initials: AES
Title: Chairman, President & CEO

Name: MS
Title: Management Consultant
Company: 

Question

Editor's Note: MS has submitted an interesting and detailed response which deserves your attention. Click here.

Name_Initials: AAI
Title: Managing Director

Are you having fun? I find this a great ice breaker that usually leads to the employee telling me what, if anything, is keeping them from accomplishing their goals (and having fun). That tells me what they need coaching and support on.

What (issue) keeps you awake at night?

Name_Initials: Keith Pretty
Title: President
Company: Walsh College

What is the one thing you would change in your work environment if it was totally up to you?

Name_Initials: Gregg Bagni
Title: Global Consultant & speaker

Editor's note: Mr. Bagni wrote an insightful comment that is too detailed for this space.  However it's worth taking a look at as it approaches the question with unusual depth. To review it go here.

Name_Initials: MB
Title: HR Director
Company:

The most important question to ask is "what can I do to support you?" Unfortunately, many leaders are too busy staying "on message" (at best) or too worried about appearing to "get it" (not so good) or intent on proving they're smarter or better informed than the employee (at worst?!) to bother asking any genuine question intended to elicit honest feedback from an employee.

Name_Initials: Bruce Babashan
Title: Consultant
Company: Parcon Research

Editor's Note: Bruce has supplied a more detailed response. To read it please go here.

Name_Initials: MJR
Title: CEO

Name_Initials: rg
Title: president

Name_Initials: Tal Newhart
Title: CEO
Company: Parcon Research

"How can we do better?"

Note from webmaster: Yes, that's exactly what he says, over and over and over....

Name_Initials: sc
Title: Consultant

Name_Initials: GAF
Title: Vice-Chair

If you were in my chair, what's the first change you'd make?

Name_Initials: JBT
Title: President & General Manager

How do you feel about the direction the company is headed? Are we missing something from your perspective.

Name_Initials: Dave Lewenz
Title: President
Company: Lewenz Development

What projects are they working on that is most important to the company and do they need any help?

Name_Initials: CBE
Title: EVP

Do you think our field force truly believes in and understands our value proposition and does the customer concur?

Name_Initials: Jim Kucharczyk
Title: Managing Director
Company: New Canaan Consulting Group

So how is X (your subordinate) doing?

When I was the CFO of a high-profile Fortune 500 company my famous CEO would occasionally stop me in the hallway and ask me how my son’s little league team was doing. You might call this a minor “pleasantry” but I don’t think so. If something else was on my mind it always came out and a meeting with the relevant resources would be scheduled. The first Christmas party after he moved on the extended senior staff started talking about it and it turned out the CEO had a special question for each of us. In talking about it as a group it turned out many of our company’s major initiatives had spun out of conversations about family, hobbies, etc. In retrospect he probably knew he was an intimidating guy (a well known fact) and that a straight up question might not yield anything of strategic value. But in asking about my boy’s ball games well, that generally led to something else that eventually benefited the shareholders.

So, for me, the answer is: “How’s John’s baseball coming?”

Name_Initials: Nick Ketcha
Title: Managing Director
Company: FinPro, Inc

Any issues in your area I should be aware of?

Name_Initials: jeannette
Title: pres
Company: julmar llc

who is the one most overlooked and most contributing member of this company?

Name_Initials: sdy
Title: City Sales Operations Manager

Name_Initials: jjb
Title: CEO

How can I help you contribute to our mission?

Name_Initials: RGL
Title: Sr. V.P. Americas

So, how is the month and the quarter going from you perspective?

Name_Initials: David Gimpelevich
Title: Partner
Company: Spearpoint Group

What are the three biggest issues that are keeping you from achieving or exceeding your objectives for this period?

Name_Initials: JFR
Title: Senior Vice President

Question: What are the key objectives of your unit and what are you doing to achieve them? Comment: The question focuses upon three things; it will determine if the employee knows the objectives of the unit ( many do not), it will provide information regarding whether the unit's objectives align with the overall company's objectives, and lastly it shows interest in what that individual is doing in their job.

Name_Initials: G E Homstad
Title: President
Company: GEH Consulting

How is the "X" project coming along?

Name_Initials: jea
Title: President & CEO

What can I do to help you be more productive?

Name_Initials: CAS
Title: President

How are we doing?......Issues?......Assistance?

Name_Initials: FP
Title: Managing Director

Do you think our company is on course for success this year? Helps to understand the perspective of the troops on the corporate plan and if the message has been successfully communicated to them; it may also show the level of their buy in if the discussion continues for a period.

Name_Initials: mbc
Title: pres

If you could make one change in the organization, what would it be?

Name_Initials: RAR
Title: CEO

How is it going..what can I do to help you?

Name_Initials: PCK
Title: CEO

Is there anything I can do to help make your job easy?

Name_Initials: Joe S
Title: VP Research

Asked in a variety of ways - How's recruiting coming? or Is your group's morale good? or Are you on track for your objectives?

Name_Initials: RTG
Title: SVP-Sales

What things are keeping you up at night these days? Can I help you?

Name_Initials: MB
Title: CEO

Is your job challenging enough for you? Are we on the right track? Are we working on the right problems?

Name_Initials: WM
Title: Director

What is your key objective for today?

Name_Initials: WC
Title: Managing Partner

"How are things going?" The key to asking this question is both in how it is asked (i.e., not in a "howyadoin" way, but in an interested way) and in the listening and follow up questions. The best boss I ever had used to ask this question in the halls every day to many different people, and he got an incredible amount of information. Some reported how a particular project was going, some on office morale, and some their personal problems. When I became Managing Partner, I found it was the best question to get real information -- the only drawback is that you can't control the kind of information you are going to get... it nevertheless almost always useful.

Name_Initials: TRH
Title: CEO

Do you have what you need to succeed?

Name_Initials: RMC
Title: CEO

How is your work?

Name_Initials: JR
Title: CEO
Company:

If I could accomplish one thing for you today, what would you want me to do?

Name_Initials: DPF
Title: Chief Operating Officer

What are you working on? What is your biggest challenge today?

Name_Initials: LDV
Title: Market Manager
Company: MetLife

Taking a sincere interest in their current work: how are your projects going?; are you enjoying your assignments?; is there anything that I can do to assist?

Name_Initials: SBG
Title: President
Company:

What did you do to honor God today?

Name_Initials: Alison May
Title: Pres & CEO
Company: RedEnvelope

What are you working on?

Name_Initials: ER
Title: VP, Marketing

What's keeping you up at night nowadays?

Name_Initials: H A Nelson
Title: President

What can I do to make your job easier

Name_Initials: GF
Title: President
Company: GMF Management

Have you satisfied a customer today?

Name_Initials: Phil Garfinkle
Title: Consultant / principal
Company: Navig8

Do you have all the tools you need to get your job done to a point where you are satisfied with the results?

Name_Initials: Sam Cheatham
Title: President
Company: Advantage Peripherals

What's the biggest problem you deal with on a daily basis?

Name_Initials: R.K.
Title: Vice President

What can I do to help you get your project/work done better, faster and more efficiently?

Name_Initials: GB
Title: CEO

Are you getting all the feedback you need on how you are doing?

Name_Initials: JLZ
Title: CEO
Company: Legion

So, what kept you awake last night and what are you doing about it today?

Name_Initials: steve race
Title: owner

"in less than 5 sentences, can you tell me what is the strategic direction of the company?" If they can, the management has done a good job of communicating where the company is going and the strategies and tactics will make sense to employees. If the employee can't, nothing will make a lot of sense.

Name_Initials: MDC
Title: Managing Director

Are you clear about your role in the company and how it contributes to the company's strategy and success?

Name_Initials: wem
Title: vp

Are you getting all the support you need to be the best employee you can be?

Name_Initials: Colin
Title: Director Self Service

What do you see as the value in xxxx ?

Name_Initials: James FitzGibbon
Title: President
Company: Strategic Distribution Group, LLC

"Do you understand where the company is going, and what YOUR role is in that effort?"

Name_Initials: Ron Lusk
Title: Chairman
Company: Phoenix Group

What ways do you think the company could improve it level of profits?

Name_Initials: DWH
Title: President
Company: Red Ball International

What are you working on that is giving you the most difficulty today?

Name_Initials: enoss
Title: ceo
Company: tucows

what can I do to help? what do you need more resources for? what is blocking your progress?

Name_Initials: AGS
Title: Owner
Company: A. G. Spohn & Associates LLC

What do we need to do to allow you to do your job better?

Name_Initials: rwm
Title: SVP
Company:
Email: moffat@us.ibm.com

What insight both short term and long term are they getting from their customers.

Name_Initials: RCB
Title: Partner

How is project (put the project name here) going? What do you see as going on in our market place? What is our competition up to?

Name_Initials: Lauch Hines
Title: Consultant
Company: LH Consulting

"What do we need to do better". The only problem with asking this question is that you need to have a solid relationship with your employees built on trust and openness, otherwise the answer will most always be "everything is fine" whether or not that's the case.

Name_Initials: Michael Lonneke
Title: President
Company: BM&C, Inc.

Just kidding.

Name_Initials: W.E.B. Jr.
Title: Health Care Executive

Is there anything we can do to make your job easier and productive?

Name_Initials: Byron Siliezar
Title: CFO

Have you said your prayers?

Name_Initials: RG
Title: Principal

How are your goals coming (are you meeting your goals)? Are you on time?

Name_Initials: BC
Title: VP

What does our company do and why?

Name_Initials: dcm
Title: President

Tell me what you are doing and what steps you are taking to measure your success.

Name_Initials: MEK
Title: Controller

* Provide positive feedback in a neutral environment. * People respond so long as you don't overdo it.

Name_Initials: Jeff McClelland
Title: managing Director
Company: Oasis Advertising/NY

How can I help you with your team's efforts?

Name_Initials: John R. Preston
Title: VP Finance & Administration
Company: Southern Wine & Spirits

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with our current forecast; do you want to come back to me with your thoughts?

Name_Initials: RLS
Title: MD

How do I get back to my office?

Name_Initials: JM
Title: CEO

Any problems in your area I can be helpful with?

Name_Initials: Sam
Title: President
Company: Compass Healthcare Services

Thank you for the great work. How can I help you continue to excel?

Name_Initials: D H C
Title: VP Mktg and Sales

What are your top 3 priorities?

Name_Initials: David Hunt
Title: Chairman & CEO
Company: PlanSoft Corporation

-What is the biggest hurdle right now in accomplishing your current assignment/project/daily activity? -What do you see we could be doing better?

Name_Initials: JTA
Title: President and CEO

What can I do to help you do your job better?

Name_Initials: jfd
Title: SHS

How are things going?

Name_Initials: ES
Title: President, Operations
Company: ELC

How can we become more efficient in your operation?

Name_Initials: SDM
Title: General Manager

To improve our results what would you suggest we do differently?

Name_Initials: Jamie Blair
Title: President & CEO
Company: ExAlta Energy

What can I do to help you get the job done?

Name_Initials: Paul Johnson
Title: Partner
Company: Fullarton Capital

Is there any thing that I can do to help you do your job more effectively or with greater understanding.

Name_Initials: Gerhard Schulmeyer
Title: Director
Company:

What is the total risk exposure in your business for what up-side you are counting on?

Name_Initials: Frank Mayer
Title: CEO

What is the mission of your group? What are the most important factors preventing your group from achieving that mission?

Name_Initials: SLM
Title: CEO/Pres

What is going great that we need to keep doing and if you could change one thing that would greatly improve our business and help us serve customers better, what would it be?

Name_Initials: ChrisH
Title: Consultant

Any big accomplishments this week?

Name_Initials: Cheryl Kinzie
Title: Director, Human Resources
Company: Vermilion Energy Trust

This statements shows: 1) the boss has delegated some work, providing opportunity for the individual to share responsibility and take credit for what work has been done to date, or alternatively, provide an opportunity for mentoring or project training or employee development 2) the boss is showing he/she is interested in listening to what the subordinate has to say 3) the boss is keeping up on what's going on 4) the one on one will provide an opportunity to discuss other items

Name_Initials: T. T. Cunningham
Title: Administrator
Company: Be Taub General Hospital

How can I make your job easier? How can I help you?

Name_Initials: Mark Wittenberg
Title: Director Supply Chain Management
Company: S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

4) What suggestions do you have for future initiatives and priorities we need to be thinking about?

Name_Initials: JAC
Title: Executive VP
Company:

Two parter - the first question is designed to put the respondent in the proper frame of mind to give a "valid response" to the second question. 1. How can I help you today? 2. What is the one best idea you have to increase company profits or reduce expenses?

Name_Initials: SDM
Title: EVP

" ... I value your opinion, and I'd appreciate your input. What do you think is the single most challenging issue which inhibits your ability to perform your function?"

Name_Initials: e timothy cook
Title: ceo
Company: Osceola regional medical center

How are you doing?

Name_Initials: CEM
Title: CSO

In many cases such a casual encounter will provide great insight for you into what the employee base is thinking, what they are probably doing and what they think is important or not important.

Name_Initials: KRS
Title: Senior VP
Company: Aventis

How is project _____ proceeding? (Ask about most significant project or task the person is working on. This will reinforce the importance of the project as well as providing opportunity to determine whether "That's great, keep going" or "what can I do to help get things back on track" are appropriate response.)

Name_Initials: gl
Title: vp

What's on our customers' minds these days?

Name_Initials: MAW
Title: Corporate Director

What can I do to help you?

Name_Initials: Paul Wilbur
Title: CEO
Company: ASC incorporated

What have you done to improve the processes and profitability of your organization TODAY ?

Name_Initials: M.Long
Title: CIO & SVP

...And what have you done for me today

Name_Initials: WJZ
Title: President

Question: How is the "xyz" project doing?

Name_Initials: RJM
Title: Director

The key question a boss can ask is "How are you doing". It is critical that bosses know how an individual is reacting to the pressure of the business. A key factor in measuring and understanding that is how the individual is holding up and how they feel. If they are frustrated about what they are doing or lack of results then they can't be effective in achieving their goals or the company goals.

Name_Initials: BTS
Title: President

How can I help you get things done quicker? OR What is preventing us from being faster?

Name_Initials: bph
Title: ceo

What did you do to build the business today?

Name_Initials: JJH
Title: CFO
Company: WSEM

I think it is important to solicit an employee's comment on the important issues facing the company. In some cases, it can be "how are we doing compared to the competition ? " in others "what do you think about ..?"

Name_Initials: CD
Title: President

It's a direct question that you'll get a direct answer to. You may learn two things. Are people spending time on activities that I know they should not be. Or alternatively, am I out of the loop on something?

Name_Initials: JD
Title: President

What is new and interesting?

Name_Initials: S. Tall
Title: EVP
Company:

I can think of several (based on my own experience on the receiving end of some of the these) that make me stop and think: - what are you working on? - how's Mr. [insert client name here]? - how's [insert project name here] going? - how's your team doing?

Name_Initials: LJL
Title: General Manager

Have you sold anything today?

Name_Initials: KK
Title: CEO

What can I do to help your be more successful?

Name_Initials: JMS
Title: CEO

What could we do to make this a better company?

Name_Initials: JKM
Title: FVP

Tell me what you're working on?

Name_Initials: R. Wietsma
Title: self employed
Company:

How are we as a company doing and what can we do better?

Name_Initials: VT
Title: EVP
Company: Eye Associates of NM

Have you seen anything lately which could point us in the direction of better service to our staff & patients?

Name_Initials: Kim Anderson
Title: President
Company: Longitude Partners, Inc.

How do you think we're doing in meeting market opportunities?

Name_Initials: KM
Title: CEO
Company: CSG Wireless

Question

Big guy: “So, whose ass are we going to kick today?”

Other Guy: “He who gets in my way, and that includes you if you don't stop pestering me while I have a 100k client on the phone and I have to do deal with the turtles in admin to get paperwork done.”

Big guy: “Go get 'em!”

Direct, to the point, and message sent!

Name_Initials: Tom Csathy
Title: Chairman
Company: MOSAID Technologies

2) What could I do to make you more productive?

Is your forecast for bookings & sales going up or down, and why.

How is the job treating you?

Name_Initials: NRB
Title: President

Related to the business, what is the best thing that has happened since the last time we talked? Also what is the worst thing that has happened. How do you see the next month, best and worst things on the horizon.

Name_Initials: jor
Title: CEO

Are we adding value to our customers and shareholders?