“How can I help you?” is an innocent enough question. But when posed by a supervisor to a subordinate it could actually be detrimental to the relationship.
First, this innocent question puts the onus on the subordinate to formulate suggestions to help the supervisor do his/her job effectively. Not knowing is really a managerial problem and asking the subordinate to solve this problem is kind of passing the buck. Secondly. this puts the subordinate in the very intimidating position of pointing out flaws in the supervisors performance. Very awkward to say the least. Finally, the question is just vague, leading to confusion for the subordinate in trying to decipher exactly what you are getting at.
So what is the proper question? Be specific – go first and reference your own flaws, and then follow that up with a specific question that you, the supervisor, can provide help on.
Read more: This 1 Question Is Hurting Your Employees, Not Helping Them