Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions are an opportunity for team members to ask questions and get their opinions heard, so they can get answers and feel valued. However, Q&A is not always the easiest option. Some leaders may shy away from it because they may feel embarrassed by the difficult questions. But if you give people within your organization the opportunity to have these two-way conversations, it will lead to deeper levels of trust and transparency in the long run. And as trust increases, happier, more productive teams are created. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that employees in high-trust companies are 50 percent more productive, 75 percent more engaged, and 106 percent more energized than those in low-trust companies. In this blog, we will explore how hosting a leadership AMA session can benefit your organization and improve your corporate culture. We'll also give you some insider tips on how Slido leaders handle AMAs, as well as how to prepare for and conduct an AMA session at Slido. We will cover the following: What does AMA mean? Why Leaders Should Conduct AMAs How AMA Helps Build Trust How Leaders Prepare for Ask Me Anything Questions What to do if you can't answer all the questions during an AMA How to conduct an AMA session in Slido What does AMA mean? If you've seen Ask Me Anything sessions happening on social media, it's a designated time for the public to ask their favorite creators the questions they have on their mind. But AMAs aren't just a way for the public to ask influencers or celebrities questions on Instagram or TikTok. They're also a powerful and versatile leadership tool, one that you can and should use in your workplace. You can host an AMA session for specific events where employees want to ask a lot of questions, such as a team restructuring. At Slido, we have an open questions section every month during our general meetings. Why Leaders Should Conduct AMAs AMA sessions provide an opportunity for employees to connect with senior leaders. In a hybrid company, AMAs help employees feel connected even when they aren’t in the office together every day, which is important for maintaining a sense of unity. That's why it's important to allow distributed team members to contribute in advance by submitting questions via the Q&A tool (see Tips section), regardless of time zone differences. In uncertain times, AMAs provide a great opportunity for leaders to address any rumors or gossip head-on. It’s okay to be nervous. Showing vulnerability makes you seem more human and allows employees to better understand and connect with you. Read more: Here’s Why Leaders Are Afraid of Q&A… But They Should Do It Anyway How AMA Helps Build Trust Many leaders use surveys to gather feedback from their employees. Surveys have their place, but they are not as impactful as a real-time, interactive leadership AMA session. In fact, recent research shows that leaders who use real-time Q&A tools are perceived as more caring and approachable than those who rely solely on surveys. You can read more about this in our new eBook, Great Meetings, Great Culture. When you host an AMA, you can have an open conversation with your team and understand their thinking. The conversation allows for real-time, two-way communication. “The real beauty of Q&A is that it has a much shorter feedback loop,” says Slido’s GM Pali Dudrik. “You can get to the heart of what’s going on in your business without having to wait for an annual survey or barometer. At Slido, we’ve started a lot of initiatives based on the AMA section of our general meetings.” Employees will feel psychologically safe if they can ask questions anonymously. Anonymous questions may feel challenging to leaders, but they will also shed light on issues that need to be addressed. By talking directly about these core issues, your team will see you as a more authentic and human leader. You can always moderate your AMA, which helps with quality control, but keep in mind that the more moderated your session is, the less chance you have of building trust with your staff. If you're nervous, keep in mind that the more AMA sessions you do, the more confident you'll become. When employees feel they have a voice, trust will grow. A culture that encourages them to speak up without fear will be fostered. How Leaders Prepare for Ask Me Anything Questions
