Here's how you can assess your own performance as a leader and pinpoint areas for growth.

Dr. John Demartini, a prominent leader in achieving breakthroughs and leadership, says he values two things the most: research and teaching. Once we know what we value the most, we can reflect and assess our leadership performance on those two points. As for me, I love learning new things and helping others. To assess my performance, I ask myself two questions: did I learn something new recently? Am I doing something that is helping others? I also ask an additional question: what more can I do in these two areas? As a result, I started listening to audiobooks recently for ongoing learning. And, through these weekly one-minute articles, I am trying to help others. What are your two points that you value the most? Please reflect and share.

Getting a brutally honest grasp of your own personality is the best career investment you can make. Who's in your "Personal Board of Advisors"? That feedback will help you understand what truly makes you tick. Consider these questions: What qualities do you admire most in your colleagues? (charm, discretion, voice, eloquence, intelligence, reliability, loyalty, kindness...) As a leader, how well do you deal with crises and putting out fires? What are the pros/cons of your typical communication style? (expressive or reserved; explicit or implicit) All these factors will influence your reputation as a leader. Seek out fresh perspectives on your performance to boost your influence and stay on top of your game.

Do not ask for feedback just for the sake of asking. Be ready to hear things that might piss you off, that might stress you or you simply might not like. The goal is not to adhere to all of them. The goal is to understand different points of view and see, if or how it can help you improve. Ask people directly, and use survey tools with tailored questions (anonymous or not anonymous) to get as much data as you can.

One-on-one meetings are a great opportunity for giving and receiving feedback. After catching up on how things are going and before digging into specifics, I'll ask for feedback on specific actions, decisions, or practices. Then I'll invite them to solicit my feedback. I record all these interactions in notes after the 1:1, and then survey the collected notes to find both themes and action items.

Self-assessment is a valuable method for personal growth. The challenge lies in being completely truthful with oneself, which can be quite difficult at times. Seeking input from coworkers is, in my opinion, one of the most effective strategies for ongoing development. When colleagues feel comfortable and safe enough to provide feedback without fear of repercussions, they can offer valuable insights that can benefit not only individual growth but also enhance the overall performance of the organization.

This is crucial, especially in leadership roles near the top of the organizational hierarchy. If you're calling the shots, you have to call your own shots. Establish clear, trackable goals. Monitor your progress in a notes app, a spreadsheet, or even your calendar—I schedule due dates for certain goals. You can schedule 15 minutes on a given day to measure and reflect on your progress.

As a leader, you have to keep on learning. The more relevant skills you acquire, the more competent you become. In order to determine what skills you need to learn to be a better leader, take note of the following: 1. What areas are you lacking based off the feedbacks you've gotten? 2. How much time would it require o learn this skill(s)? 3. How would you put this skill to use? 4. How relevant is it to your current position?

Build a habit out of learning. Set aside 30-60 minutes daily to learn, read, listen, think, and practice new skills. Get up earlier, have a slot in your calendar, put a sticky note with reminder on your laptop. Whatever works for you.