How to Ask Questions as a New Manager

So you're the new manager on the block, entrusted with steering a technically complex team. You lack domain-specific knowledge. The imposter syndrome is killing you. You want to contribute but you don’t know where to start. Well, you can always start by asking good questions. Here are three ways. 1. Baseline Thinking: Assessing the Current State Even without deep technical expertise, you can ask what’s currently happening, also known as the baseline. Pose these key questions to your team: - What are our current performance metrics? - How close or far are we from our capacity limit? - What is our availability SLA? By understanding the baseline, you can discuss potential strategies, weighing their risks, costs, and benefits. This sets the stage for informed decision-making. 2. Analogy Thinking: Simplifying Complexity Analogies help distill complex scenarios into understandable terms. If you're dealing with, say, a sophisticated monitoring system, liken it to human health. Some metrics are 'vital signs,' urgently required for immediate health, while others are like 'annual check-ups'—important but not immediately critical. Asking questions using the anology help you and your team get the big picture quickly. 3. The Power of Paraphrasing As a new manager, one of the most effective tools you can employ is paraphrasing. Simply rephrase what your team members say, but add structure and clarity to it. It's not just about repeating their words; it's about reorganizing them using your own words that makes the intention clear and actionable. **Why Paraphrasing Works:** - It helps team members crystallize their thoughts. - It uncovers assumptions or inconsistencies that may be lurking. - It reinforces a collective understanding within the team. **Example:** Team Member: "I think the new feature could possibly improve our tail latency, but I'm not sure about the trade-offs yet." Manager's Paraphrase: "So, you're suggesting that implementing the new feature has the potential to increase our system's high percentile tail latency , but we need to further evaluate what the associated trade-offs might be. Are you concerned about the higher CPU utilization or cost?" See the difference? The paraphrased version pinpoints the key elements and presents them in a way that everyone can grasp, then set the stage for deeper questions. With Baseline and Analogy Thinking, you can assess the current state and simplify complex issues. Paraphrasing then acts as the glue, providing clarity and structure to these discussions. Together, they form a powerful trifecta for effective decision-making, particularly for managers new to the technical intricacies of their teams. If you are a new manager in a team, eager to contribute to a discussion: first listen actively, then claim “I am new so forgive me if the question is dumb.”, now you can use the techniques above to ask questions, and you know what: they might not be dumb at all!