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De- Mystifying the
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Q12 questions
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S U R V E Y
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Q1: I know what is expected of me at work
S U R V E Y

• What the manager may ask himself

• What the manager can ask the team

Q2: I have the material and equipment I need to do my work right

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q3: At work I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q4: In the last seven days, I have received the recognition or praise for doing good work

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q5: My supervisor, or someone at work seems to care about me as a person

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q6: There is someone at work who encourages my development

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q7: At work, my opinion seems to count

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q8: The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is impor tant

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q9: My associate or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q10: I have a best friend at work

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 2

 • What the manager can ask himself
S U R V E Y

• What the manager may ask the team

Q11: In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Q12: This last year, I have had the opportunities at work to learn and grow

• What the manager can ask himself

• What the manager may ask the team

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 3

 GUIDE ON ANALYZING THE Q12 QUESTIONS S U R V E Y

The write up given below serves as a resource for managers while conducting Impact planning
session with their teams and responding to the Q12 questions. We have shared some quick tips
that will come in handy while making decisions for your team.

Q1: “I know what is expected of me at work”

Gallup’s research shows that many great workplaces have defined the right outcomes; they set

goals for their team members or work with them to set their own goals. They do not just

define the job but define success on the job. For team members to be aware of their

expectations, they should have a way to rank, rate, or count as many of the desired outcomes

as possible. Also, these measures of performance should fit with what the rest of the

organization is saying and doing.

F
What are the measures used to evaluate the performance of our team and
What mangers of each other?
can ask F
How do I set objectives with my team?
themselves? F
How often do I sit down with my team members and discuss their progress?

F
How does this help us achieve our team’s goals?

F
Name 5 expectations that you feel are appropriate for our organization to
have for your position and the outcomes of your work.

F
What are the standards for a “great” performance in your role? What are
your points of comparison?
What managers
F
Have you talked to your peers in the past 6 months about what they
may ask the
team? expect of you? What did you learn?

F
Have you talked to your internal customers in the past 6 months about
what they expect of you? What did you learn?

F
What do you expect from people on your team or your internal customers?
F
Do you think they are aware of these expectations? How do you
communicate your expectations to them?

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 4

Q2: “I have the material and equipment I need to do my work right” S U R V E Y

Great managers find out what people need in the way of materials and equipment; place the
responsibility for this on the team members; and make sure team members know how to earn the right
to certain materials and equipment. A great way for team members to increase their responsiveness to
this question is to determine what “materials and equipment” means to them. Sometimes they are
referring to accessibility of information, rather than specifically to materials and equipment.

What mangers F
What do people mean by “materials and equipment”?
can ask F
What do I tend to say to people who ask me for a new piece of equipment?
themselves?

F
What do you define as “materials and equipment”?

F
How much value would this investment generate for our customers,

What managers our company, and yourself?

may ask the F
Are there things that distract you and keep you from being productive or
team?
accurate in the work you do?

F
How can these distractions be alleviated?

F
Have you identified any process improvement that makes us faster and

more effective? What is it? Did you share it with others?

Q3: “At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day”

For this item, it is important to keep each team member’s talents in mind, to build relationships, and to

help others identify their unique talents. It is vital that every individual understands his or her strengths

and weaknesses.

A good way of promoting this is to discuss what each person believes his/her leading strengths

are, in terms of skills, knowledge, and innate talents. Writing these strengths down often helps.

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 5

 S U R V E Y

What mangers
F
Do my team members know about and understand their strengths and
can ask non-strengths? Do I understand mine? Theirs?
themselves?
F
Why are team members saying “no” to this item?

F
What do you do best in your role?

F
Are there things within your workplace that keep you from working at
your best levels? If so, what are they?

F
What do you enjoy the most about your work? Which parts of your
What managers current job bring you the most satisfaction or greatest sense of
may ask the accomplishment?
team?
F
What changes do you personally plan to make this year so that you can
do more of what you like to do the most?

F
How do you use the strengths of your team members to accomplish work

goals? What do you not do well?

F
Are there parts of your role that you find difficult? What do you think can

be done to help make it easier for you?

Q4: “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing some good work”

Workplaces that excelled in this question relied on forms of recognition that are specific, predictable,
frequent, and instantaneous. They are known to promote a recognition -rich environment, with praise
coming from every direction, and with everyone knowing how others like to be recognized.
Many wonder how often people should be praised, but a good rule of thumb is about once a week. If
this seems too often, consider why frequent praise is so important. Whenever a person does something,
there are consequences. Those consequences will affect whether team members engage in that
behavior again. We know that to get the results or consequences we want, frequent praise can
encourage the behavior that produces it.

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 6

 S U R V E Y

What managers F
How often do I praise my team members?
can ask F
Do I know what kind of praise/recognition is most meaningful to
themselves?
each individual team member?

F
What do you think you should be recognized for and from whom?

F
Who else should I tell when you do something that positively affects the

business? What does recognition look like to you?

F
What is the best recognition you have ever received? That you have
What managers received in the last 6 months? Why?
may ask the
F
What type of recognition do you prefer? What are you most comfortable with?
team?
F
If you were to receive a lifetime award, whom would you want to
present it and what would you want him or her to say?

F
Please list three colleagues who help you most in your job. Please explain
how you have thanked them or recognize d them for their help.

F
As a team, how can we build a culture that encourages and values

recognition and praise?

Q5: “My supervisor or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person”

Remember, people leave managers, not companies. A productive workplace is one in which people feel
safe — safe enough to experiment, to challenge, to share information, to support each other, and where
the team members are prepared to give the manager and the organization the “ benefit of the doubt.”
None of this can happen if team members do not feel cared about. Relationships are the glue that holds
great workplaces together.

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 7

 S U R V E Y

What managers F
How often do I praise my team members?
can ask F
Do I know what kind of praise/recognition is most meaningful to
themselves?
each individual team member?

F
What does “care” mean to you?

F
What makes you feel cared about? Can you give an example in the past 6
months when you felt cared for?

F
Will you tell me how you are doing or feeling? Or do I need to ask?

What managers How do you show other team members that you care about them?
may ask the How can team members set each other up for success?
team?
F
What are some things we could be doing in our workgroup to increase the
feeling of “care”?

F
What are some examples of behavior that demonstrates a “lack of

caring”? Who do you feel cares the most about your success?

F
Is there anything about your personal life we need to be aware of, so we

can support you better?

Q6: “There is someone at work who encourages my development”

In this case, “development” does not mean getting people promoted. It does not mean each team

member gets what he or she wants. It means helping individuals find roles that fit their natural

strengths: their unique combinations of skills, knowledge, and talent.

Previous Gallup findings have concluded that workgroups that receive high scores on this
particular item do not try to put in what was left out, but rather, try to draw out what was left in;
they provide constant feedback; and they find creative developmental opportunities for each
other.

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 8

 S U R V E Y

What managers F
How do I help my people develop?
can ask F
How do I help them find the right tasks, jobs, and career paths?
themselves?

F
How do you define development within your current role?

What does development mean to you?

F
What would help you increase your performance in your current

role? What is the most effective way for you to learn?

F
What would you like to be doing 3 years from now?
Professionally? Personally?

F
What challenging experiences are you giving yourself this year? Who is
your accountability partner?
What managers
F
Who are your mentors?
may ask the
team? F
Who holds you accountable for your development goals?

F
In the last 6 months, have you developed any new p artnerships to support
you or your work?

F
What new partnerships would you like to develop in the next 6

months? How do you want to develop within your current role?

F
What further opportunities would you like to pursue to help you be
more successful in your current role?

F
What is the learning style that suits you the most?

F
With some of the changes coming up over the next few months, is there

a particular skill or job you would like to learn?

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 9

 S U R V E Y

Q7: “At work my opinions seem to count”

Team members who give high scores on this item feel they have access to channels of communication
across different levels or divisions of the organization, and their managers work to maintain those
channels. Groups do not function very well when the team members in them feel insignificant or
irrelevant.
Managers ask team members for their opinions and include their ideas in the decision -making process

whenever possible. This means everyone should have a chance to express his or her ideas.

What managers F
Why are team members saying “no” to this item?
can ask F
What is my feedback process? Is it working?
themselves?

F
What makes you feel valued here?
F
How do you know your opinion matters?
F
Who needs to hear your ideas?
F
Are you comfortable raising opinions in a group setting? What can be
done to help you voice your opinion?
F
In the past 6 months, when have you felt your opinion mattered?
F
Have you ever noticed an opinion but it was not implemented? What
What managers were the reasons? Did you ask for an explanation?
may ask the F
Have you done anything in the past 6 months to understand the
team? opinions of others?
F
If you have an idea, is there someone with whom you can speak to
help you polish and fine tune it?

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 10

 S U R V E Y

Q8: “The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my

job is important”

This question measures a key source of motivation for team members — the idea that their organization
represents values that they themselves share. Effective workplaces cultivate that feeling, including

providing constant clarification of the overall mission of the organization, as well as the ways in which

each individual team member contributes to the achievement of the mission.

As human beings, we like to feel as though we belong. Individual achievement is great, but we

are likely to stay committed longer if we feel we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

What managers F
Am I helping my team members find the link between their own values and
can ask those of the organization?
themselves?
F
How?

F
What is the mission of our organization?

F
What do you do that adds to the mission/vision/values of our

organization? What part of our mission/vision/values is most important to

you?

F
What is your personal mission?

F
What is the connection you see between your personal mission and
the organization’s mission?

F
What have been some instances in the past 3 months when you felt
What managers
the organization was living its mission?
may ask the
team? F
Are there any policies or procedures that you think are inconsistent with
the mission of the department or the organization?

F
Do you understand how your performance metrics connect with the
mission of the department or the organization?

F
Have you thought about how your performance in the past 6 months has
affected the mission of the department and the organization?

F
At what specific times did you feel your job was important?

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 11

 S U R V E Y

Q9: “My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work”
Workgroups that score well on this question tend to be good at providing clear quality standards and
keeping those standards at the forefront of team members’ minds. Thus, team members are capable of
accurately evaluating their own perform ance, as well as that of their teammates.
Clear communication of standards enhances accountability and builds trust among coworkers. We also
know that not everyone will see “quality” in the same way if everyone’s concept of the word is
different. To remed y this, having a clear definition helps. The best place to start is with customers, both
internal and external.

F
Does everyone define quality in the same

way? Do all departments support one

What Managers
can ask another?
themselves?
F
Does everyone know and agree with what the organization
uses to measure performance?

F
What does quality look like?

F
What do you do that makes our customers want to come

back? How do you help your team be as successful as

possible?

F
What do you do that contributes to the reputation of your team?

F
How do you measure your own productivity and quality? How do you
judge the quality of others’ work?
What managers
may ask the F
Has there been an incident in the past 2 months where you thought the
team? entire team worked together to produce high-quality work? What were
the key success factors?
F
Have there been cases in which you consistently found substandard
quality work being delivered? How can our team address this issue?

F
Have you done anything specific in the past 6 months to improve the
quality of your work?

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 12

 S U R V E Y

Q10: “I have a best friend at work”

This question measures team members’ perceptions of the quality of their relationships with their
coworkers. Gallup data reveal that the strongest working environments are those that foster friendships
among team members and encourage them to establish bonds that blur the line between professional
and personal relationships.
Some people say that work is serious business and that there is no place for friendship at work. They are
wrong. Human beings are most productive when we cooperate, when we combine our efforts, and
when we do not have to waste time watching our backs. Friendship is the gateway to trust. Best
friendship is the proof of trust.

What managers F
What does this concept mean to my team members?
can ask
Do they feel they have someone to watch their backs?
themselves?
F
What do I actively do to encourage positive relationships?

F
Define what a best friend means to you.

F
How do relationships within the team help you do your job better?

F
How do you use your relationships to help others be successful in their

roles? What would help you in building stronger relationships at work?

F
Are there team members within our organization that have values
What managers similar to yours?
may ask the
team? F
Do you feel you have one or more team members whom you can trust
and depend on?

F
How do you contribute to a positive and productive workplace?

F
Has there been an incident in the last 6 months where you depended

on someone else for your success? Describe that incident.

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 13

 Q11: “In the last six months, someone at work has talked with me about my
S U R V E Y

progress”

One of Gallup’s most consistent research findings has been that feedback improves
performance. High-scoring groups establish structured feedback processes for their team
members, which include clearly defining goals and achievement levels, and then meeting
regularly with each team member to track his or her progress toward those goals.

We realize that we all need feedback to know how far we have come. We need signs to track
our progress.

What managers
F
How can I show my team members how far they have come?
can ask
themselves?
F
How much feedback am I giving my team members?

F
What should we be tracking progress on?

F
How do you define progress within your current role? How can this be
measured?

F
What topics should our team address at our mid-year review?

What managers F
How often should you meet with your manager to discuss how things are
may ask the going in your job and workplace?
team?
F
What have been your greatest accomplishments at work this past year?

F
What achievements have you made this past year that you felt were worthy

of recognition?

Q12: “This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow”

Engaged team members need to feel that their job contributes in some way to their professional or
personal development. Great workplaces are those in which team members are provided with
educational opportunities that address their development — this may include formal classes or simply
finding new experiences for them to take on.
Each team member will define “opportunities” differently. For some team members, this may mean

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 14

 S U R V E Y

training classes and seminars; for others, this means promotions and increased responsibilities; and for
others, this might mean working on special projects or assignments.

What managers F
How do my team members define “opportunities”?
can ask F
Whose responsibility is it to find opportunities for my team members?
themselves?

F
What opportunities to learn and grow have you had in the last 12

months? Have you achieved excellence in this role?

F
How did you influence others to achieve excellence in their roles?

F
How do you measure your learning? What is your yardstick? How do you
fare against it?

F
What training has been most valuable to you? Is there any other training
that you would like to receive?
What managers
may ask the F
What learning style has helped you the most?
team?
F
How have you increased your skills and knowledge in the last

year? What challenges have you overcome in the last year?

F
Are there specialists on our team who could teach their peers

(for example, software)

Compiled by the HR team | Demystifying the Q12 15