9 Discussion Questions for Successful Staff Meetings

Asking good questions is an important management skill for administrators. The right questions can result in successful staff meetings. In this article, I’ll share 9 questions administrators should ask at staff meetings that will help you bring about positive change in your school. Plus, download an article to help principals create a culture of shared leadership.

The Power of Good Questions

I didn’t begin my career in education. My first bachelor’s degree was in theater. My dad used to say to me, “What the heck are you going to do with a theater degree?” Well, it turns out, not a lot. I went into retail and the restaurant business instead. I did move into management in both industries, learning productive management skills along the way. One of the skills I learned during those years was how to ask my staff good questions during routine meetings.

When I moved into education, I brought with me many of the management tools and strategies that I acquired in my previous career. As an administrator, I found that asking good questions in a staff meeting is a powerful strategy to help uncover issues that may be out of the administrators’ periphery. Discovering and managing these issues brought about positive change that was initiated by the staff. Good questions can also be a tool for finding ways for teachers to be involved in school-based decisions and allowing them to be integral to the design of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the classroom, resulting in a culture of shared leadership.

9 Staff Meetings Questions for Success

Put good questions to work at your school. Here are nine questions that are useful for igniting conversation, uncovering issues, and inspiring celebrations. The first five questions are focused on the individual answering them. The remaining four questions are about the school organization and environment. When individuals feel valued, heard, and honored for their academic achievements and professional accomplishments, the organization improves.

What’s working and what’s not working?

This question can be used broadly—what’s working or not working in the classroom, the building, or a program. Don’t leave this as a stand-alone question—always follow up with question #2.

Why is it working or not working?

Even when things are working, we should always pause to reflect on why they’re working. Knowing what we are doing right can help us avert future problems and ensure that we continue to do what we know works. Considering why something isn’t working can uncover the need for more resources, training, materials, time, or effort. Just because something isn’t working doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. It could mean that there needs to be a refocusing of resources, energy, or people.

What accomplishments in student achievement over the past few weeks are you most proud of?

This is a great question to get teachers thinking about the effect they have on their students and the school community. Be sure to coach the staff to always be on the lookout for accomplishments, no matter how small. Small accomplishments usually lead to bigger accomplishments. Additionally, hearing how others have been successful with students can give us all an energy boost to say, “I can do that, too.”

What have you learned about yourself as a learner this week?

To encourage teachers to remain lifelong learners, asking what they have discovered about themselves keeps them thinking. The focus of this question is on learning—not on teaching. Teachers can develop empathy and understanding for students as they examine their own personal learning styles. Sharing our thoughts and ideas about how we learn can spill over into our instructional practices.

Recently, who or what has inspired you to be your best self?

We all need inspiration in our careers and life. Asking your staff who or what has inspired them can help others make those inspirational connections. Also note that the question states, “to be your best self.” As famed psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck states in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, a growth mindset means we value our successes when they are making us better rather than as a means to compare ourselves with others.

The following four questions are about the school organization and environment.

What are the characteristics of success, and how do you promote them to your students?

This question can get teachers thinking about defining success beyond grades. Extrinsic rewards have little to no effect on achievement. In fact, students can view grades as punishment for not doing exactly what the teacher wanted or as reward for not putting forth much effort. When teachers effectively articulate the characteristics of success to their students, those characteristics can become an intrinsic motivation booster.

Who continues to amaze or surprise you with their contributions to the school community?

It’s a good idea to have staff applaud other staff or community members who have been valuable to the school and its operations. Letting those who do good for the community know their work is seen and appreciated can increase the overall morale of the staff. Encouraging colleagues to appreciate and recognize the hard work of the team will also promote a strong, dedicated community.

Why is bonding with other staff members essential to a learning community?

This question can help staff consider their individual and group actions as being important to a productive learning environment. I also find that “why” questions require a deeper level of thinking and reflection. Staff will realize that they are individually important as they discuss how to support and learn from their colleagues.

In what ways has the school community changed for the better? Or, in what ways can our school community change for the better?

Focus your staff discussions on the positive aspects of the environment or on positive ways the community can change for the better. Avoid negatively phrased questions that can turn a staff meeting into a grouse session.

Depending on what you want to accomplish during your meeting, choose the top five questions to build individual growth or the latter four questions to improve group growth and cohesion.

Starting off a staff meeting with any one of these questions can spark interest, build morale, encourage communication, and generate deep reflection. Using these nine staff meeting questions can prove valuable to building your learning community.