Leadership and management survey questions and examples

One of the most important proactive steps a company can undertake is carrying out a leadership survey, also known as a manager-effectiveness survey, to provide insight into how leadership and management teams are performing. Employees look to their superiors for direction, insight, and leadership. If they have a supervisor who isn't doing a great job overall performance will suffer. A leadership-behavior survey is a great place to learn more about a company's management team.

The benefits of a management performance survey

Such feedback is an incredibly useful tool to better understand how a company is functioning. The management performance questionnaire is one of the most popular types of HR surveys.

Studies have shown that employees who have a highly engaged manager are 60 percent more likely to be highly engaged themselves. If a company has leaders who are not engaged or not the right kind of leader, it can hurt the company's bottom line. Distributing a manager-effectiveness survey can help provide insights regarding how to improve company leadership, which can promote positive downstream effects on employees.

The importance of leadership survey questions for employees

In the realm of organizational dynamics, crafting effective leadership survey questions is vital to gauging the pulse of employee engagement and perceptions. These questions should not only encompass aspects of employee satisfaction and motivation but also explore leadership and management effectiveness.

Employee survey questions focused on leadership can gauge the willingness of team members to take on additional responsibilities, shedding light on their level of commitment and accountability.

Furthermore, survey questions related to management efficacy can enhance the ability of leaders to make consistently effective decisions and foster a sense of responsibility within their teams. In the pursuit of a holistic assessment, factors like the net promoter score and survey response rate can quantify the impact of leadership on overall employee satisfaction. Additionally, incorporating targeted queries for one-on-one meetings can provide employees with a platform to ask managers about their concerns and expectations, which will further enhance transparency and communication within the organization.

For further tips read our blog Tips to help business owners increase their survey response rate.

Manager survey feedback

Manager surveys are beneficial because they deliver needed information to help current leaders become better ones. Once a survey's results have been reviewed, use the information to make changes. Better leadership practices will establish more trust in company operations. In turn, employees will feel more valued and appreciated because the changes they want to see are being implemented.

Management surveys: Who are your admired leaders in the company?

When distributing a leadership feedback survey, manager-satisfaction survey, or performance-management questionnaire, take time to find out which of the company's superiors are admired by employees. It is a good idea for a leadership questionnaire questionnaire for employees to include questions about which type of leader employees are inspired by—and why they feel that way.

A management survey is a great addition to both employee satisfaction and company culture surveys.

When it comes time to analyze results, there will be a few leaders who share a common skillset and expertise setting them apart. Focus on the feedback about each to better understand what type of leadership employees are looking for. This information can be used to train the company's management team to follow the lead of the most admired leaders.

Performance-management survey best practices

To gain the most valuable insight from a leadership survey, here are a few best practices to keep in mind.

First, make the leadership feedback survey responses completely anonymous. This helps employees feel more comfortable about being honest. Keeping the survey anonymous can also make it easier for participants to bring up problems or issues they may be reticent about espousing directly.

Another way to gain better insights is by only asking questions related to the company's performance. If the goal is to improve the company as a whole, ask questions that will highlight the skills or behaviors the management team contributes—or doesn't—that affect the company's performance as a whole.

Also, along with a manager survey for employees, a leadership questionnaire for managers themselves is a great way to find out what they think about their performance—both strengths and deficiencies. Therefore, occasionally carry out such leadership questionnaires to gauge management's effectiveness firsthand.

Think of observable behavior instead of motives

Last, each question should be about observable behavior rather than motives or thoughts. For example, more insight will be gained with questions like: “Does your manager provide useful feedback?” This type of question will provide specific information about a manager's performance.

Following these best practices will produce better insight from leadership-behavior surveys.

To ensure that survey data is reliable, make sure the correct steps are taken when designing and administering the survey. How to maximize the chances of receiving high-quality feedback? Find a few suggestions in our article How to write a good survey question!

Management survey questions examples

Creating a leadership survey might sound daunting at first. Don't worry—we created questions to help get you started. Use these directly or as inspiration for further questions:

Communication

• How would you rate the effectiveness of communication from management regarding company goals and updates?
• Do you feel adequately informed about changes and decisions made by upper management?

Leadership style

• How would you describe the leadership style of your immediate supervisor or manager?
• Do you feel that your manager provides clear direction and guidance?

Employee recognition

• Do you feel that your efforts and contributions are recognized and appreciated by management?
• Have you received feedback or recognition for your work in the past quarter?

Decision-making transparency

• To what extent do you believe management is transparent about decision-making processes?
• How comfortable are you expressing your opinions or concerns to management?

Performance feedback

• How frequently do you receive constructive feedback from your manager regarding your performance?
• Are performance expectations communicated clearly by management?

Team collaboration

• How effective is management in fostering collaboration and teamwork within your team?
• Do you feel that your manager encourages open communication among team members?

Professional development

• Do you feel supported by management in your professional development and career growth?
• Have you had discussions with your manager about your career goals and aspirations?

General leadership survey questions

• Do you feel confident in your manager's effectiveness?
• Does your supervisor help your team meet goals and succeed?
• Does your supervisor provide you with constructive feedback?
• Name an example of something your manager has done to benefit your department.
• Does your manager include your entire department in big decisions?
• Does your manager make an effort to listen to your ideas?
• In what ways could your manager improve as a leader?
• True or False: When there's a problem, your manager finds a solution?
• True or False: Your manager has everyone's best interest in mind?
• True or False: Your manager is an effective communicator?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how overworked do you feel?

How to differentiate questions for managers and employees?

Distinguishing between leadership survey questions for managers and employees involves tailoring questions to the different perspectives and roles within an organization. Here's how to differentiate between the two:

Leadership survey questions for managers

These questions are designed to assess the qualities and effectiveness of managers as leaders within the organization. They often focus on managerial skills, decision-making, and the overall management approach. Consider including questions like:

• How well do you believe your leadership style aligns with the organization's values and goals?
• How frequently do you provide clear direction and guidance to your team members?
• How comfortable are you in making tough decisions that impact the team's performance?
• How do you ensure that your team members' individual strengths are leveraged for the team's success?
• How do you facilitate communication and collaboration among your team members?
• How often do you conduct one-on-one meetings with your direct reports to discuss their progress and concerns?
• What strategies do you employ to motivate and engage your team on a day-to-day basis?
• How do you handle conflicts and disagreements within your team?
• How do you encourage innovation and creativity within your team?
• How do you balance delegation and hands-on involvement in your team's projects?

Leadership survey questions for employees

These questions are framed to gather insights from the employees' perspectives about how they perceive their leaders’ impact on their work experience. They delve into aspects such as communication, collaboration, and employee engagement. Some examples include:

• How well does your manager communicate the team's goals and the organization's vision?
• Do you feel that your manager values your input and encourages your participation in decision-making?
• To what extent does your manager support your professional growth and development?
• How would you rate your manager's ability to provide constructive feedback and guidance?
• How often does your manager recognize and appreciate your efforts and contributions?
• How effective is your manager in resolving conflicts and maintaining a positive team environment?
• Do you feel that your manager trusts and empowers you to take on responsibilities?
• How well does your manager promote collaboration and teamwork within the team?
• How satisfied are you with the communication and feedback received during one-on-one meetings with your manager?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend your manager as a leader to others (Net Promoter Score)?

By customizing survey questions to the roles and perspectives of managers and employees, a more comprehensive understanding of leadership effectiveness can be gained from different angles within the organization.

Create a leadership effectiveness survey with SurveyPlanet

Improving a business begins with better management. If you have a strong leadership team, employees will follow them. With a manager-effectiveness survey, discover everything needed about the company’s leadership.

SurveyPlanet makes it easy to create the surveys you need. First, begin by selecting one of our gorgeous pre-made themes and manager-feedback survey examples. Then choose one of our survey templates or write customized questions.

If you want to dive deeper into specific issues, question branching allows for follow-up questions based on how a respondent answered a previous question. The possibilities are endless. Ready to gain insights about your company's team? Sign up for an account with SurveyPlanet today and start creating a leadership effectiveness survey.