Step Back and See How You're Actually Leading

Most leaders evaluate themselves the same way.

Results were achieved, so things must be fine. The team didn't push back, so the approach must be working. A direct report said something positive, so leadership must be on track.

Those signals matter. They're just not a complete picture of your leadership.

They tell you about outcomes. They don't tell you much about what's driving them.

Without a structured way to look, leadership growth tends to be hit or miss. You work on what feels urgent. You skip what feels uncomfortable. The areas that need the most attention often are overlooked.

A structured leadership self-check changes that because the process assists you in taking an honest look at parts of your leadership approach and effectiveness.

That's what this edition is about.

Free Download: Leadership Assessment

The Leadership Assessment is a simple way to step back and take an honest look at how you're actually leading.

It's 25 questions covering eight skill categories that define leadership effectiveness. You score yourself on each one, and the result tells you two things: where your overall leadership stands today, and which specific category deserves your focus next.

The whole thing takes about 15 minutes. There's a Word version if you want to print it and fill it in by hand, and an Excel version that scores it for you and shows your category breakdown automatically. There's also an online version you can walk through if you'd rather skip the download files altogether.

What you'll come away with is a clearer view of where you're strong, where you're not, and one specific area where focused attention would make a real difference over the next 30 days.

Leadership Assessment →

If you've been meaning to step back and take stock of where you are from a leadership perspective, this is a good opportunity. You don't need to act on everything you find. Pick one category. One behavior. Practice it consistently for 30 days. That's where real change happens.

Richard

P.S. You don't need to do this perfectly. Just answer honestly the first time through. Your first instinct on each statement is usually the most accurate read.