Get beyond the superficial and learn about your employees and what makes them tick. Take advantage of the following ways to dig deep:

• Conduct personal history meetings/discussions: Find out about your employees’ childhood, families, hobbies, favorite jobs, etc. These meetings can happen one-on-one or in groups.
• Ask: Meet one-on-one with each team member to ask him or her about his or her values, motivations, and learning styles. Here are some sample questions:
  • Think back to a time when you were incredibly motivated at What happened right before to make you feel that way?
  • Think of a time when you had to learn something new, and it just “clicked” for What method of learning did you use?
• Conduct personality assessments: There are many good personality assessments on the market (Innermetrix, Profiles International, DISC, etc.). These assessments are typically very accurate and may give you and your employees important insight on their styles, talents, values, and motivations.
• Observe: Watch your team during meetings, high-stress situa- tions, and social situations and take note of their styles and reac- tions. Do they take the lead in meetings, or do they follow? Are they agreeable, or do they play devil’s advocate? Do they thrive under pressure or wilt?