So what usually happens? People make concessions, then even more concessions, and end up compromising just a little bit more. The bar gets set lower and lower. Before they realize it, their standards have dropped significantly. In turbulent times, a situation arises in which that bar can drop faster than ever. Think of the entrepreneur who says, “I’m just glad our revenue stayed stable this year,” or the employee who sighs, “It’s hard to be productive right now, isn’t it?”

These statements all sound very logical, but that doesn’t necessarily make them practical enough to drive meaningful progress. Below are seven questions you can go through with your team to raise your company’s standards—whether you’re navigating turbulent times or running a particularly thriving organization. A hallmark of a powerful leader is that he or she continually raises the bar.

1. “What was our goal?”

Most entrepreneurs don’t have a clear sense of their “Point B.” Even when the goal is crystal clear, it’s often only clear to the entrepreneur themselves and becomes significantly diluted at other levels of the company. Add challenges and day-to-day struggles to the mix, and things quickly become very unclear. Before you know it, employees are putting their own spin on the company’s goals and their own job responsibilities.

It’s important to regularly take stock: What is our organization’s “Point B”? And what is “Point B” in specific projects? Is that still clear to everyone? Challenge all the assumptions, beliefs, and preconceptions that surface from your team when you ask these questions. Then, restore a clear focus within your company. Remember: a leader sets specific, measurable goals that are known and clear to every individual, regardless of the circumstances the team faces.

2. “What have we actually accomplished?”

Honest thinking (not positive thinking) is key here. Positive thinking is believing in magic spells and unicorns. Honest thinking is looking at the results, because results never lie. Ask yourself: what has actually been achieved so far? Stick to facts and figures. This simple question calls for an honest answer.

3. “What steps have we taken to achieve the goal?”

Identify the actions taken to achieve the set goals, with the ultimate aim of reaching point B. This is also simple. Look back at the past period (perhaps starting with the first quarter of this year) and note down the actions that were taken and implemented.

4. “What worked well, and why?”

The answers to this question will help you and your team members clearly see what needs to be done to get to point B. When a team has a clear understanding of which actions lead to success and results, it’s naturally difficult to stop doing those things. So work together to identify what has worked well recently—and why.

5. “What didn’t work well, and why?”

Stopping what doesn’t work is, of course, the most logical thing to do. And yet we often keep doing things that don’t work, over and over again. Why? Because we simply never stop to take stock and figure out what exactly hasn’t been working lately.

Naturally, you’ll then ask: why didn’t it work? Saying, “I’ve heard from a few people that it didn’t make a difference,” isn’t enough to prove that something doesn’t work. Take a close look, investigate, and dig deeper. Come up with a well-founded explanation.

6. “What lessons have we learned?”

You can only answer this question once questions one through five have been fully answered. Be critical of yourself and your team. Take a close look, reflect on the past period, and review all the answers and findings so far. From this, you can draw important lessons and conclusions.

7. “How will we change our approach to be more effective in the future?”

A strong leader fosters an environment in which a team continually raises the bar. He or she builds a team that loves to win, seeks out challenges, and strives to reach the next level. The answer to this final, crucial question forms the foundation for your new future. It gives your employees the tools they need to actually raise the bar and grow as a team.

The same applies here: take a close look and don’t overcomplicate things. The answers are usually right in front of you. You just need to be willing to look at them with a healthy dose of honesty and common sense.

For valuable insights into how to foster productive conversations within your company, download our white paper.