The 180-Second Feedback Loop

Stop "Checking In" and Start "Checking For."

We’ve all been guilty of the "Drive-By Management" style. You walk past a desk or jump on a quick Slack call and ask, "How’s everything going?"

Your team gives the standard, safe answer: "Great! Busy! Moving along!"

You walk away feeling like you’ve "managed," but you haven't actually learned anything. You’ve just participated in a polite fiction.

The problem with "How's it going?" is that it doesn't require a story. It only requires a status. We all do this in many different situations. We count that as 'connecting'.

In my Storytizing framework, we know that people connect through specifics, not generalities. If you want to be a great manager, you have to stop asking for status and start asking for friction.

The Shift: The 3-Minute Friction Check

Next time you have a one-on-one, replace "How’s it going?" with these three specific, Storytized questions. This should take no more than 180 seconds:

1. "What was the biggest 'win' your team had since we last talked?" (This forces them to identify success.)
2. "Where is the 'drag' in your day right now?" (This identifies the bottleneck without making it an accusation.)
3. "If you could remove one recurring task from your plate this week, which one would it be?" (This gives you actionable data on how to optimize your team.)

Why this makes you a Great Manager:

When you ask for "drag" instead of "status," you’re telling your team that you are there to clear the path, not just watch them run. You’re moving from a manager who oversees to a leader who enables.

I’ve seen this work with high-level executives in London and small business owners in Tampa. The math is simple: The faster you identify the friction, the faster you get back to the "Yes."

The Manager’s Challenge: Pick one team member today. Don’t ask them how they are. Ask them what’s slowing them down. Then, Shutup & Succeed by listening to the answer.