Why Leaders need Self-Assessment

Hello, I’m Kenneth and this is the third issue of ReadLift 一 my newsletter on strategy, management, leadership and productivity. I publish it bi-weekly so do subscribe if these topics interest you.

Earlier today, I thought about something random relating to leaders. You would agree that employers or managers focus more on employee performance (which is not a bad thing in and of itself) but there is hardly ever any dust raised on employer/manager performance or assessing the quality of leadership that influences the productivity and output of their team members.

The strong presence of cognitive bias could make a leader inclined to reinforce their existing beliefs hindering awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, as you would expect. Additionally, fear and the absence of a systematic approach to receiving open feedback contribute to this lack of self-awareness among leaders.

As your team changes over time, with different people coming on board, it is critical to always assess yourself to be sure you're in alignment with the right leadership codes - resilience, adaptability, empathy, vision, good communication, the list goes on.

You need to show concern if your ideas are always accepted without any effort for open debate or suggestion if you cannot exactly say you have had non-work related conversations with members of your team, if your vision is not clear enough with everybody running with conflicting ideas and if there is the fear of failure in the team.

Assessments show how others perceive you within the team, pinpointing potential sources of friction. They offer leaders a chance to gather feedback and understand the motivations that drive a high-performing team. David Hassell, founder and CEO of 15Five, states, “Work product from intrinsically motivated employees tends to be more impactful and sustainable than work derived from extrinsic motivators, such as bonuses or fear tactics.” You can read this article to understand intrinsic and extrinsic motivators clearly.

To keep yourself in check as a leader, it is invaluable for you to prioritise periodic appraisals on your leadership approach both from a personal perspective and your team members. This way, you can develop introspective habits that can help you reflect on your actions but also use third-party feedback to validate and confirm your suspicions and assertions.

Here are some introspective questions to re-assess yourself with:

• How well do you handle crises?
• Are you open to receiving feedback?
• Are you adept at resolving conflicts?
• Do you have a clear leadership vision?
• What example do you set for your team?
• Is your decision-making process effective?
• Can you effectively motivate team members?
• Do you have strong communication skills?
• Are you willing to delegate tasks when needed?
• Do you hold both yourself and others accountable?
• Do you provide constructive feedback to your team?
• Do you maintain strong relationships with those you lead?
• Is there a systematic approach to reviewing team performance?
• Are your mission, vision, and values aligned with your organization's?
• Are you actively pursuing growth as a leader and acquiring new skills?

Months back, I compiled a brief questionnaire to gather feedback from former colleagues. The aim was to reassess my leadership, identify areas for improvement and refine my learning focus.

I have made a copy of my Leadership Retrospection Questionnaire available for free. You can use it to get your team’s opinion on your leadership.

If you enjoyed reading, you can feel free to contribute. Learning knows no bounds; it can be found in every corner of life, drawing wisdom from unexpected places and experiences.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you get the next issue in two weeks. Thank you, and all the best!