Jill Geisler: 10 questions that can help you lead people who are smarter than you

Wise leaders know that they may be smart about many things, but they don’t have to be the smartest person in every room. They lead with confidence and humility and aren’t intimidated by colleagues whose expertise surpasses their own.

That’s not always easy. Managers often tell me they worry about building credibility with subject matter experts on their staff, fearing they may not respect decision-making coming from someone who’s never walked in their shoes.

I remind them that while people are drawn to those who have a lot in common with them (it’s called “affinity bias”), a leader doesn’t have to have done the work they do, much less excel at it, to be able to gain their trust and lead them.^a

But the leaders must earn that trust.

How? The key is showing an interest in each person’s work, a willingness to learn about it and them, a commitment to removing obstacles and a readiness to defer to their superior knowledge.

Astute questions for smart staffers

Here are 10 questions for engaging in meaningful conversations with those accomplished staff members you count on for their expertise.

1 What makes a great day at work for you? This question provides insights into their motivation, processes and priorities. It helps you know how people set goals for themselves and measure their own successes.

2 What’s most often misunderstood about your area of expertise? This is a good way to learn whether people in certain roles feel fairly treated in the organization and whether they’ve been stereotyped or under-resourced. This question can help leaders assess organizational cultures – and improve them if need be.

3 What, if anything, is often misunderstood about you, as an individual? Leaders need to know their team members as people, not just producers. Someone might say, “People think because I’m in technology, it’s my only interest and skill. I’d really enjoy leading training sessions.” Or, “People mistake my caution for negativity, but I was once blamed for a problem someone else caused, so I automatically triple-check things.” These answers provide you with opportunities to improve employee engagement.

4 What resources matter most to you? People who know their stuff resent leaders who make decisions about tools and technology without their input. By generally understanding the tools, technology and staffing that are necessary, good-to-have or ambitiously cutting edge, you can better develop plans for realistic operating and capital expense budgets that may resolve problems or provide a competitive edge.

5 What new developments do you see coming to your field of expertise? The best leaders are continuous learners who seek guidance on learning from in-house experts. What do they want you to see, watch or test out? It’s a sign of respect to plumb for their ideas and show that you’ve heard them. Your takeaways could range from personal learning to commissioning research to developing in-house task forces.

6 How do you like to keep sharp? Smart people are often motivated by opportunities for growth. Asking this question can help you identify learning options for them — including conferences, certifications and information-sharing venues — and help identify people with leadership potential.

7 Who were the best and worst leaders in your career, and why? This question can lead to some helpful stories. Be sure to identify behaviors, because that’s how we’re judged. If someone says, “The best boss I ever had really believed in me,” the follow-up question is, “What did that look like?” Often, people describe leaders in general terms (e.g., visionary, approachable, erratic, egotistical). Don’t assume you know the basis of those perceptions. Finding out more about why those leaders elicited those descriptors can help inform your own behaviors.

8 How do you like to get feedback — both positive and negative? Most organizations have a feedback gap. Leaders think they’re providing adequate feedback, but employees often want more. Provide it, especially the good stuff.^b When you ask people how they like to get feedback, especially high performers, you’ll learn how to customize it.

9 What are common obstacles to your effectiveness, efficiency or enjoyment at work? The leader’s job is to remove organizational obstacles. If it’s something you can change immediately, you’ll score a quick win (e.g., staff are facing scheduling issues because vacation schedules aren’t updated regularly). Learning about obstacles provides insights into the needs of your smart people.

10 What values guide you and, in an ever-changing world, should be constant? Never miss a chance to talk about values. It’s the secret to being not just credible but also inspiring. It lets you understand the “why” of what people do, whatever their role and whatever their expertise. You can then frame many of your conversations to align with shared goals.

Your goal: Be open, learn and avoid meddling

As you have these conversations over time, you’ll be able to identify trends across roles, as well as individual idiosyncrasies. You’ll become a better leader of your experts — and in fact, of all your staff (because they’re all smart about different things.)

And remember, for all the worrying you may be doing about leading people whose job you’ve never done, there’s also a potential downside when leaders and staffers come from the same tribe: the risk of micro-management. Some bosses who have been there, done that can’t resist getting into the granular details of tasks they did before they were promoted. Staff members may see that as an intrusion rather than interest. Other staff members may feel the boss is playing favorites on behalf of their past department, division or role.

The bottom line: Stop worrying, start learning — and keep hiring people who are smarter than you.

As I remind managers in my classes, symphony conductors don’t have to know how to play every instrument. They simply know how to get the best performance out of each one individually, while also getting them all to blend together as an ensemble. 

Footnotes

a. Cornell, D., 15 affinity bias examples, HelpfulProfessor.com, Jan. 3, 2024.
b. Geisler, J., “4 ways to give positive feedback with impact,” hfm, April 2023.