[SOLO] The One Question Every Leader Should Ask Their Team This Quarter

Kicking off 2026 and celebrating year five of the show, Hilary Corna shares a simple but powerful leadership practice to spark meaningful process improvement: one question every leader should ask their team—“What feels harder than it should right now?”Hilary explains how this question uncovers real constraints, invites honest feedback, and shifts continuous improvement from something the business “does to people” into something that serves people first (employees and customers). Drawing from Toyota/Kaizen principles, she breaks down why people-first improvement drives loyalty and long-term results—and how leaders can avoid common traps like rushing to “fix” everything immediately. You’ll walk away with a practical way to listen better, reduce friction, and build a healthier improvement culture.Visit www.HilaryCorna.com/learning-center for free tools and resourcesFollow @HilaryCorna on socialTIMESTAMPS[01:35] Today’s focus: the simplest way to shift how people think about process[02:17] The key question: “What feels harder than it should right now?” (and why it works)[02:44] Process improvement “in the West” vs. Toyota: people-first improvement (not business-first)[03:57] Why optimizing for efficiency alone can harm customers or employees[05:00] What the question signals to your team: “You matter—tell me the real stuff”[05:33] How leaders should handle answers: resist the reflex to instantly fix/[06:18] Active listening: most people want to be heard more than “solved”[07:18] Don’t overcommit: why instant action can distract from true priorities[08:25] The simplest response script: thank them, acknowledge, and commit only to consideration