100 Good Questions to Ask in Meetings for Every Meeting Type

When it comes to work meetings, showing up is only half the battle. You’ll also need to find ways to add value in order to make an impact.

And asking good questions is one of them. Here’s something to think about…

Do people notice when you skip meetings? Is your absence felt by your team?

If the answer is no, take it as a sign that there’s room for improvement. 

Let’s jump right in and talk about 100 good questions to ask in meetings for every meeting type.

Meeting Ice Breaker Questions

Kicking off work meetings can be awkward if your workplace is toxic or you don’t feel comfortable at work. 

To make meetings less uncomfortable, use icebreaker questions to help open up the conversation.

The key is to be natural and ask questions in a way that’s true to you.

Here are good meeting ice breaker questions you can ask:

• What’s one of your goals for the week and how can we hold you accountable for it? 
• What’s one thing you accomplished last week that you’re proud of?
• What are you working on right now and how can the team support you?
• What’s a simple productivity hack that everyone can benefit from?
• What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently? 
• Who’s been a great team player lately that we should highlight?
• What’s the most uncomfortable thing you’ve done lately? And what can we learn from it?
• What can the team learn from you?
• What’s the kindest thing someone has done for you lately? 
• What are you reading right now? And what’s one takeaway from it?

One-on-one Meeting Questions 

One-on-one meetings with your colleagues and network are great opportunities to advance your career. 

For these meetings, you’ll want to do your research and have a win-win mindset.

Find similarities between you and the other person to leverage during your conversation.    

Here are good one-on-one meeting questions you can ask:

• Can you tell me your story and how you got to where you are today?
• What are you working on these days?
• How can I support you and the work you’re doing?
• What are you struggling with right now? And is there anything I can do to help?
• What’s your number one priority right now?
• I’m currently working on [enter project]. Can I get your thoughts on [what you need help with]?
• Can you introduce me to anyone that can help with [enter topic]?
• Is there anyone I can introduce you to in my network?
• Is there anyone you’d recommend I approach to be a mentor or sponsor? 
• What would you be doing right now if money wasn’t a factor?

Check-in Questions for Meetings

Having a pulse on your team is critical to maintaining a healthy work environment. Never assume people are doing okay because they aren’t complaining. 

People are dealing with a lot nowadays and you may not see it. Therefore, asking check-in questions is a great way to show people you care.

Here are good check-in questions for meetings:

• How does everyone feel about [enter topic]?
• What are your thoughts about what was decided in our last meeting?
• Is there anything you’d like to add to [enter topic]?
• What are some changes you’d like to see to [enter topic]?
• Is there anything not on our agenda that you’d like to discuss?
• What feedback do you have on [enter topic]?
• Is there anything I can do to better support you right now?
• How are you feeling given everything happening in the world right now?
• Were you satisfied with the outcome of [past project]?
• Would you recommend any changes to improve our team’s processes?

Questions to Ask in Weekly Team Meetings 

Weekly team meetings are your chance to check in with co-workers, learn about projects, and be a team player by helping your department succeed.  

Take this as an opportunity to show up as an engaged and helpful team member. 

Here are some questions to ask in weekly team meetings:

• What is our biggest goal for this quarter? And how can we help to reach them?
• What’s our biggest challenge as a team right now? And what can we do to help overcome it?
• Can we celebrate some recent wins?
• How can we best support [enter project]?
• What tasks should we prioritize right now? 
• What tasks should we not prioritize right now? 
• As a team, is there anything we should start doing?
• As a team, is there anything we should stop doing?
• I have some extra bandwidth this week. Is there anything I can do to support you? 
• Can we get an update on [enter project]?

Questions to Ask at the End of a Meeting 

If you want to make a name for yourself at work, asking intelligent questions at the end of meetings can help. 

Questions like the ones listed below can position you as a thought leader. And make you stand out for all the right reasons.

Here are good questions to ask at the end of meetings:

• Can we recap what was decided about [enter topic]?
• Is everyone on the same page with [enter topic]? If not, what else should we consider? 
• How can we streamline [enter process] to make it more effective for everyone?
• What are the next steps with [enter topic]?
• How can we best support the [enter project]?
• What options are we overlooking when it comes to [enter topic]?
• How else can we approach [enter topic]?
• How do we plan to [enter topic]?
• Are we satisfied with the outcome of [past project]?
• In our last meeting, we discussed [enter topic]. Can you share an update on this?

New Employee Meet and Greet Questions 

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s why it’s so important to show up well during new employee orientation or meet and greets. 

Here are good new employee meet-and-greet questions to ask:

• How can I set myself up for success during my first month?
• What are some unspoken rules at [enter company name] that I should be aware of as a new employee?
• Who would you recommend I get to know as a new hire?
• Who’s a good role model that I should watch as a new hire?
• What should I prioritize during my first month on the job?
• Who is the “go-to” person when I need help with [enter topic]?
• What projects have the highest priority right now?
• How can I support our high-priority projects and initiatives?
• Which departments do we work closely with? 
• Who will be my main contact in those departments?

Questions to Ask Manager in one on one 

One-on-one meetings with your manager can be intimidating because all eyes are on you. Don’t let this bother you. 

Instead, take this opportunity to showcase your progress, ask for feedback and discuss your goals.

Remember your boss isn’t doing you a favor, it’s their job to support your career.

Here are good questions to ask your manager in one on one meetings:

• What feedback do you have for me on [enter project]?
• Which areas do you think I should be working on?
• How can I improve upon [enter development area]?
• What am I doing really well? 
• Can I share some recent wins with you?
• What can I do to prepare myself for the next level?
• How can I make your job easier?
• Am I on track to be promoted this year? If not, what can I do to get there?
• How would you recommend approaching this situation [enter challenge]?
• Is there anything I could be doing differently?

Questions to Ask in All Hands Meeting

All Hands meetings allow you to get in front of decision-makers at all levels of your organization.

Actively participating in all-hands meetings is a great way to position yourself as a leader even if you’re not one. 

Take advantage of these meetings to increase your visibility!

Here are good questions to ask in all-hands meetings:

• What’s the future direction for the company? And how could someone in my position help us get there?
• What are some growing threats in our industry that we should be aware of? And how can we stay ahead of them?
• What challenges is the company currently facing? And how can we help?
• How are we planning to address [enter relevant topic]?
• What upcoming projects are we working on? And how can one get involved? 
• What is the company’s turnover this year? And what can we do as a team to increase retention?
• Are there any industry trends that are concerning right now? And how should we prepare ourselves? 
• How can my department better contribute to the success of our organization?
• Can you elaborate on the company’s direction and vision? And how my department fits into it. 
• In our last all-hands meeting, we discussed [enter topic]. Can you share an update on this?

Meeting with CEO Questions to Ask 

CEOs are very busy people. If you manage to land time on their calendars, you’ll want to make it count. 

Do this by coming prepared with questions that’ll make them proud of hiring you.

Here are questions to ask when meeting with a CEO:

• What can I learn from you?
• What steps did you take to get to where you are today?
• On your journey to becoming a CEO, what mistakes did you make that I can learn from? 
• What should I do to position myself for a successful career at our company?
• What are your top priorities right now? And how can I help you with them?
• What’s your greatest challenge as a CEO? Is there anything I can do to help?
• Who in the company do you think I should watch and learn from?
• Is there anyone else you’d recommend I speak with?
• Can I share some feedback about opportunities for improvement within our department?
• How can I better contribute to the success of our organization?

Questions for Skip Level Meetings 

A skip level meeting is one where your boss’s boss meets directly with you, without your boss present. 

As an employee, skip level meetings expose you to leaders throughout your organization.

And helps you build relationships across the company. Both of which can benefit your career. 

Here are good questions to ask your boss’s boss during a skip-level meeting:

• What should our team prioritize right now?
• How can our team support the company’s overall mission and vision?
• Are there any upcoming opportunities available for me to make an impact beyond my department?
• How will my feedback be used to improve our department?
• Is there a system in place to share my feedback with my manager? And what does it look like?
• What professional development opportunities are available for me?
• What skills do you think our team should develop?
• How can I help train and develop others in the company?
• Who in the company do you think I can learn the most from?
• Are there any industry trends that are concerning right now? What can we do to prepare for them?

Final Thoughts 

Work meetings are great opportunities for you to build your brand. Remember, you have the power to make an impact no matter your title.

Hopefully, these 100 good questions to ask in meetings give you a starting point.

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Over to You

Where do you usually sit in meetings? Let us know in the comments section on social @netwerkmovement. Share this with someone trying to level up at work!