As a supervisor, it’s common to feel like you’re constantly fielding questions. And that’s not a bad thing — questions are a sign of curiosity, a desire to learn and can also be revealing about what’s left to learn. Especially with coaching student employees, frequent questions asking “how to” or “how do I” are part of the onboarding process during which they’re learning their scope of authority as well as navigating university and department rules.
Speaking from my experience, what sneaks up on us is the duration of this phase — and how I respond to it as a leader.
Questions Should Evolve Into Problem Solving
The culture I aim to foster with my direct reports is one of healthy communication. To me, this culture is one in which questions are always welcome, and conversations are for sharing and support. I also like to set the expectation of “no surprises,” which further broadens topics to share with a focus on proactive communication.
Over time, the nature of questions should shift. After a certain period — and depending on the role — questions should evolve into proposed solutions. That’s when true learning and independence begin.
Approaching This Subtle Aspect of On-the-Job Training in Two Steps
- Evaluate Your Responses
Ask yourself: What kind of answer am I giving?
- For knowledge-based questions, a quick answer might be efficient — but is it educational?
- Try: “Good question — have you checked the staff manual for our policy on that?”
- For how-to questions:
- Try: “Let me show you. Let’s do it together.”
These responses promote learning-focused thinking, not just task completion.
- Set Timeframes for Independence
Establish a timeframe that aligns with your training expectations. This helps you monitor whether your team member is transitioning from asking to solving — and whether you’re supporting that shift with the right kind of answers.
Final Leadership Advice
Before wrapping up, here’s a leadership tip to consider: Ask more than you answer. Try turning their question back on them and don’t rush to provide solutions. Instead, ask:
- “What ideas do you have to address this?”
- “What do you think the next step should be?”
Leadership is often about asking the right questions. Being mindful through the onboarding process and the questions that come with it can build confidence, encourage critical thinking, ensure solutions align with department culture and policy, and build trust between supervisor and direct report in problem solving abilities.
Looking for portable takeaways on this topic? Here is a quick summary on coaching student employees.
- Welcome questions but guide them toward independence.
- Use learning-focused answers to promote growth.
- Set timeframes to evaluate progress.
- Ask questions to build problem-solving skills.
