What do the most successful leaders ask themselves in the mirror?
Having all the answers is less important than knowing what to ask.
Vision and Priorities
- How often do I communicate a vision for my business?
- Have I identified and communicated three to five key priorities to achieve that vision?
- If asked, would my employees be able to articulate the vision and priorities?
Managing Time
- How am I spending my time? Does it match my key priorities?
- How are my subordinates spending their time?
- Does that match the key priorities for the business?
Feedback
- Do I give people timely and direct feedback that they can act on?
- Do I have five or six subordinates who will tell me things I may not want to hear but need to hear?
Succession Planning
- Have I, at least in my own mind, picked one or more potential successors?
- Am I coaching them and giving them challenging assignments?
- Am I delegating sufficiently?
Evaluation and Alignment
- Is the design of my company still aligned with the key success factors for the business?
- If I had to design my business with a clean sheet of paper, would it differ from the current design?
- Should I create a team to answer these questions and make recommendations to me?
Leading Under Pressure
- What types of events create pressure for me?
- How do I behave under pressure?
- What signals am I sending my subordinates?
- Are these signals helpful or are they undermining the success of my business?
Staying True to Yourself
- Is my leadership style comfortable? Does it reflect who I truly am?
- Do I assert myself sufficiently or have I become tentative?
- Am I too politically correct?
- Does worry about my next promotion or bonus cause me to pull punches or hesitate to express my views?