Ask These 3 Questions to Build a More Resilient Team
Every growing company has them—quiet vulnerabilities in the way people are organized, rewarded, and relied upon. They don’t show up in dashboards or performance reviews. But they quietly shape how resilient your business really is.
These vulnerabilities aren’t about bad hires or poor leadership. They’re about gaps in structure, clarity, and planning that can leave your business exposed when change happens—whether it’s a resignation, a growth spurt, or a shift in strategy.
Here are three questions to help you uncover those soft spots before they become costly.
1. Are your employees connected to something bigger than their team?
In many companies, innovation and growth come from within—when employees spot opportunities, share ideas, and take initiative. But that only happens when people feel connected to the company’s purpose and to each other.
When employees are siloed—by function, generation, or geography—they may still perform well in their roles, but they’re less likely to contribute beyond them. That’s a slow leak in your company’s momentum.
What to reflect on:
Do employees understand how their work contributes to broader goals?
Are there intentional efforts to build cross-functional visibility?
How do you foster a shared sense of purpose across teams?
2. Do your incentives reinforce the behaviors you want to see?
Compensation isn’t just about fairness—it’s about alignment. The way you reward people tells them what matters. If your incentive systems are outdated, unclear, or inconsistent, they may be encouraging the wrong behaviors—or discouraging the right ones.
What to reflect on:
Can employees explain how performance connects to rewards?
Are pay and recognition conversations consistent across teams?
Do your incentives reflect your company’s values and goals?
Misaligned incentives don’t just affect morale. They affect outcomes. And they’re often easier to fix than you think—once you know where the disconnects are.
3. What happens if a key person leaves tomorrow?
Succession and continuity planning isn’t just for executives. It’s about building resilience into your team structure—so that knowledge, leadership, and decision-making don’t live in just one person’s head.
What to reflect on:
Are there backups or cross-training plans for critical roles?
Do you have a pipeline of future leaders?
Is there a plan in place for unexpected transitions?
These aren’t easy conversations—but they’re essential for long-term stability.
Start with a Conversation, Not a Consultant
You don’t need a full audit or a consulting engagement to start uncovering these vulnerabilities. You just need to ask the right questions—and be willing to look at your team structure with fresh eyes.
To help you get started, we created a free Employee Risk Assessment Worksheet. It includes 9 reflection questions across the three areas above, plus a short guide to help you interpret your answers.