G. A. P. O.
™
4-Step Process
PAUL CHERRY Author of Questions That Sell
Questions to Help
Unleash Your Team’s Goals
for the Future
PA U L C H E R RY
G. A. P.O.™ 4 -St ep P ro ces s
Q u est io ns to H elp Unlea sh Yo u r Te a m’s
G o a ls fo r th e Fut u r e
AS A MANAGER, YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS
ON YOUR TEAM’S SUCCESS. What better way than
to get your team motivated and to come up with high
performance goals. They take ownership of their success
and free up your valuable time so you can focus on the
bigger picture and the growth of your organization.
If you asked your employees if they have goals, most will
say yes. However, when pressed to articulate their goals,
too often, their goals amount to only a vague idea or pipe
dream, with little knowledge of the process needed to
make it all happen. What follows? Missed expectations,
disappointment and a breakdown in communication.
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2
PA U L C H E R RY
G. A. P.O.™ 4 -St ep P ro ces s
Q u est io ns to H elp Unlea sh Yo u r Te a m’s
G o a ls fo r th e Fut u r e
GOAL SETTING - QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK
When it comes to setting meaningful, results-oriented goals, it’s
important, first, that your employees answer these questions:
• Where do I begin?
• How am I going to reach my goals?
• Will I be successful?
• Do I have the resources I need?
• How do I stay focused?
• What are some obstacles I should be aware of that I may encounter?
• How will I overcome these obstacles?
• How do I stay committed so I don’t let myself down and others?
• Will achieving these goals be meaningful and rewarding to me?
If an employee does not have the answers to these questions, it’s
quite likely they will become overwhelmed or discouraged. In fact,
most individuals give up or don’t even try because they could be
setting themselves up for failure.
Don’t let this happen to you and your team! As a manager, it’s your
job to empower your team to come up with the answers they need
to ensure their success and yours.
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3
PA U L C H E R RY
G. A. P.O.™ 4 -St ep P ro ces s
Q u est io ns to H elp Unlea sh Yo u r Te a m’s
G o a ls fo r th e Fut u r e
HELPING OTHERS ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS & DREAMS
The G.A.P.O.™ Process – This four-step guide can help your team
members realize their goals and dreams by asking the right
questions. The process allows you to bounce off ideas with your
people so they can crystallize their thought-process and create a
roadmap to success. Plus you’ll get them excited about achieving
their goals and what it takes to get there.
However, when you begin using the G.A.P.O.™ 4-Step Process,
avoid imposing your goals or expectations on your people. They
can easily see this as manipulative and self-serving. Instead of
telling them what they need to do — you need to ask them what
they need to do. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised at the
answers. It’s really important to understand what motivates your
team and why.
Sure, this approach may seem like a lot of work. Guess what? It is.
But the pay-off is incredible. You will build strong relationships
with your team. And quality relationships are the foundation for
success in any organization or business.
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© 201 7 Performance Based Results LLC. All rights reserved.
4
PA U L C H E R RY
G. A. P.O.™ 4 -St ep P ro ces s
Q u est io ns to H elp Unlea sh Yo u r Te a m’s
G o a ls fo r th e Fut u r e
BUILDING TRUST AND RAPPORT
As a manager, the G.A.P.O.™ 4-Step Process will help you explore
your people’s level of commitment while developing trust and
building rapport. Once you discover your employee’s goals and
aspirations, you can gain the knowledge to encourage your
employee to think bigger and expand his or her goals by asking:
• Describe for me a stretch goal, something that would really
get you excited to achieve in the coming year.
• Take me through your thought process on how you will attain
your goals.
• Share with me some obstacles that might surface......
(Response) How will you address these obstacles, so they don’t
become a distraction from reaching your goal?
• Sounds like you have some meaningful goals. So tell me what’s
one opportunity that stands out for you to go after and why?
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PA U L C H E R RY
G. A. P.O.™ 4 -St ep P ro ces s
Q u est io ns to H elp Unlea sh Yo u r Te a m’s
G o a ls fo r th e Fut u r e
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
What if you use the G.A.P.O.™ 4-Step Process but you hit a brick
wall? This person is resistant, closed-minded, or defensive. This
happens. Going through this exercise is not futile. As their manager
you want to make a connection or find a spark as to what might
motivate them and why. Find common ground. If you can, continue
with the G.A.P.O.™ 4-Step Process. If you can’t, you’re validating
that you got a bigger chasm to work out of with this person. When
an employee won’t engage you, it’s because it’s either an attitudinal,
confidence or communication barrier. Get to the heart of the issue
so the two of you are on the same page.
GETTING STARTED
In order to get started, choose the questions that are most
appropriate to your situation. Don’t over do it and hammer people
with a checklist of questions. Be conversational, be patient and
listen for the answers.
So good luck with the G.A.P.O.™ 4-Step Process in building more
rewarding relationships and helping your people achieve what
they deserve!
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6
The G.A.P.O.™ Process
1. G
OALS
Questions to discover your person’s “desired future state.”
OBJECTIVE: Do they want to change?
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
• Share with me your goals…
• Tell me, where you see yourself 12 months from now?
• What results are you looking to achieve?
2. ACTION
STEPS
Questions to assess your person’s commitment or thought process
to achieve their desired outcome.
OBJECTIVE: Do they understand HOW to achieve their goals?
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
• How are you going to do this?
• Walk me through your action steps in order to achieve ________________.
• What exactly has to happen between now and __________ so that you can
achieve your goals?
ROBLEMS
3. P
Questions to uncover potential problems that can derail their goals.
OBJECTIVE: Do they recognize potential “landmines” and how best to avoid them?
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
• What potential problems do you foresee and how will you tackle them?
• To stay focused on your goal, what’s one challenge you need to prepare for?
4. O
PPORTUNITIES
Questions to identify the best opportunities to help them achieve their
goals more quickly, while exceeding expectations.
OBJECTIVE: Are they focused on how to best invest their time and resources wisely?
SAMPLE QUESTION:
• Share with me your thoughts on how you will focus your efforts on the
best opportunities.
© 201 7 Performance Based Results LLC. All rights reserved.
About Paul Cherry
Paul is President and Founder of Performance
Based Results. With over 20 years experience, he has
worked with more than 1,200 organizations in every
major industry and has been featured in more than
250 publications including Investor’s Business Daily,
Kiplinger’s, Selling Power, and Inc.
Paul’s expertise is in business‑to‑business sales
training for organizations in a wide array of industries
and markets. He has worked with corporations across
the country and around the world, including 220 of the
Fortune 500, plus more than 1,000 entrepreneurial,
small to mid-sized cutting-edge companies looking to
dominate their niche markets.
Need a speaker for your live or online event to get your team pumped up in 2017?
Give us a call today at 302-478-4443 or email us: [email protected]
Other publications by Paul Cherry
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