Theme: Lead Through Communication

Week 2 of leadership presence is all about communication. Not just sounding clear — but creating clarity. Not just speaking up — but connecting better. Today’s challenge is about the quiet skill that powerful leaders use constantly:

They ask better questions.

Why? Because great questions don’t just extract answers — they unlock momentum.

Midweek is when:

• Stress begins to peak
• Focus begins to blur
• People fall into silos or autopilot

And while most wait for the “fix,” true leaders create forward motion by noticing and asking — before it’s urgent.

The Challenge — Ask One Unblocking Question

🟩 When to Do It
📅 Midweek — during a meeting, in Slack, or in 1:1 chats

🟩 What to Do
Find someone who seems stuck, unclear, stressed or quiet.
Then ask a single, thoughtful question designed to help them move forward.

💡 Examples:

• “What’s one thing that would make this easier right now?”
• “Do we need to pause and realign here?”
• “Where do you feel unclear at this stage?”
• “What’s getting in your way this week — time, tools, team, something else?”

This is not about giving solutions. It’s about creating space for insight to rise.

Why It Matters: The Science Behind the Question

Studies show that high-performing teams don’t just communicate often — they communicate effectively.

According to research from Google’s Project Aristotle:
✅ Teams that feel psychologically safe are more likely to share challenges early
✅ Managers who ask “how can I help?” increase performance by 23%
✅ Just one empathetic question midweek can prevent burnout, rework, or conflict

In short:
Inquiry > Assumption.
Presence > Performance.
One sentence > Hours of solving.

What Leadership Skills This Builds

✅ Emotional intelligence
✅ Empathic leadership
✅ Psychological safety creation
✅ Coaching mindset
✅ Quiet influence
✅ Servant leadership
✅ Situational awareness

This isn’t flashy leadership — it’s felt leadership.

Pitfall to Watch For

🚫 Thinking “it’s not my job”
You might feel: “I don’t want to interfere.”
But presence isn’t interference — it’s influence.

🚫 Trying to solve, not ask
You might default to advice. But the point is to let them think it through.

🚫 Waiting until it’s a crisis
If you’re asking only when it’s visibly on fire — it’s already late.

🎯 Overcome It By

• Acting early — when someone’s voice changes, or silence lingers
• Asking gently — with no agenda, just presence
• Listening more than you speak

Why Midweek Matters

By Wednesday, most teams are in execution mode.
That means:

• Less awareness of each other’s stress
• Fewer check-ins
• More “heads down” work

This is the perfect time for one leadership question to pull someone out of the weeds and remind them: they’re not doing this alone.

Micro-Moves That Create Macro Trust

You don’t need to be a manager to lead this way.
You just need:

• 15 seconds of courage
• 1 sentence of care
• Zero need for credit

This is what builds the emotional capital that high-trust teams run on.

People remember when you saw them — not just when you led them.

FAQ – What Leaders Often Ask

❓ What if I’m wrong and they’re not stuck?
That’s fine. Asking never hurts. It opens a door they can walk through — or not.

❓ What if I ask awkwardly?
You’re not judged on eloquence. You’re judged on care. Make it real, not perfect.

❓ What if they don’t respond well?
Try again another time. Or say: “Totally okay — just wanted to offer space.”

❓ What if I’m remote?
Even more powerful. A thoughtful DM can be the only moment someone feels seen all day.

Leadership Use Cases Across Roles

🔹 Team Leads: Add a reflection question midweek: “Where do you need support right now?”
🔹 Managers: Use in 1:1s as a way to coach rather than direct.
🔹 Engineers: Ask a teammate: “Where’s the friction for you in this sprint?”
🔹 Designers: “What feedback loop could we simplify here?”
🔹 Ops & Admins: “Is there anything slowing you down I can help with?”
🔹 New Joiners: “What’s been unclear for you this week?”

No matter your role — this question fits.

Want This in Your Team Every Week?

Coach Faisal’s Team Leadership Development Challenges are built for real people in real roles, inside real team dynamics.

Each weekly system includes:

✅ 3 micro-challenges
✅ Specific language + context
✅ Skill alignment to your team goals
✅ No fluff, no long videos — just action, reflection, and improvement

This is not about training sessions.
It’s about habit stacking leadership into the rhythm of your week.

Book a 15-Min Strategy Call

Want to map out a team challenge series built for your environment?

📅 Book your discovery call
🌐 Visit bycoachfaisal.co.uk

About Coach Faisal London – Culture You Can Feel

At Coach Faisal London, we help organisations shift from training to transformation.

We build:
✔️ Ownership
✔️ Clarity
✔️ Emotional trust
✔️ Weekly leadership momentum

Our method?
🔹 3 custom micro-challenges per week
🔹 Based on your actual goals, roles, and pressure points
🔹 Designed to be used — not just remembered

We work with startups, enterprises, and culture-driven teams who want every member to lead from where they are.

Because leadership isn’t a title.
It’s a choice — repeated.

Weekly Recap — The Power of One Question

This midweek challenge helps your team:

✅ Notice stress early
✅ Ask with empathy
✅ Support each other without micromanaging
✅ Build emotional culture through presence
✅ Influence without a title

And that?
That’s real leadership.