The Questions on the Elevator Ride

Albert Einstein once said his best ideas came when he was either on a walk or in the shower.

Einstein believed that when his mind was completely relaxed, thoughts would spring into his head that gave him added insights into the project dominating his life.

As leaders, we're always looking for information about our organizations from those on the ground level. And to create vertical alignment, we must have perfect flow from bottom to top, not simply the other way around.

A simple elevator ride is one of the best places to glean information. Mingling with people on a short trip can be essential when assessing how to improve our ability to lead. When in an elevator with people on your right and left, ask the following three questions:

1. What do you do?

2. What is the strategy of the organization?

3. How does what you do support the strategy?

Duke Ellington once said, "I don't need more time; I need a deadline."

A ride in the elevator provides the perfect time restrictions needed to acquire answers.

If the leader is asking the right questions, the answers should provide tremendous insight. The more specific the question, the more detailed the answer.

If you ask, do you like your job, then a simple "Yes" ends the conversation. If you reframe that question question as "What are three reasons besides salary for liking your job?", the answers are far more insightful.

Why wouldn't this questionnaire work outside of the elevator?

Because being surrounded by your peers requires honesty and thought — and removes compliance. The person answering the question can't fudge the answer, which helps the leader gain valuable insight into whether the company is vertically aligned.

Remember that building a great culture requires horizontal and vertical alignment — and a team cannot be aligned if those on the ground level don't understand the strategy or their role in the bigger picture.

Don't just ride the elevator. Learn about your team on the ride.