When star performers are promoted, some struggle to get the most out of their teams. Many tend to lead by example, working hard to inspire their teammates. But this style of leadership, also known as pacesetting, often backfires. The leader runs like a pacer in a race, but runs faster than everyone else, hoping to inspire them to catch up. While few team members can temporarily keep up, the rest slow down or push back, and the team’s performance starts to deteriorate. To get the most out of your team, it’s important to recognize that each person has their own motives. Here are some questions to ask them:

• What have you accomplished? Follow it up with, “What about that work makes you proud?” The first answer gives them insight into the kind of work their team members like to do and the second tells them what about that work makes them feel motivated. When you ask these question to your own team, they key is to listen for hints of intrinsic motivation (competence, autonomy, and connectedness). Then, start to think about what responsibilities align best with those sources of motivation.
• What is getting in your way? This can help surface demotivators, or things that are frustrating your team and sapping their motivation. A big part of your job as a leader is to remove the barriers blocking their potential. Beyond that, this question will give your people an opportunity to feel heard and appreciated. Showing empathy and being open to looking for ways to compensate or work around a roadblock can go a long way and even help unblock your team member for the time being.
• What would you like to do more of? This opens the door to what your team member would like more of going forward. There may be things they want but have never communicated to you — either because they couldn’t find the right time or felt they needed permission to ask. As a leader, you don’t have to fulfill every request, but asking the question will help you figure out how to make their jobs more interesting and motivating.