Have you ever considered what it feels like to work for you? How is your leadership perceived by the people who report to you? Are they “following” you because they “have to” because you are the boss? Or does your team willingly give you permission to influence and lead them? The following questions can serve as a leadership assessment and help you determine where you need to increase your influence with the people you lead.
15 Questions to Assess How Your Leadership is Perceived
- Do the people on my team find me genuine, authentic, and trustworthy?
- Do I view my position as an opportunity to serve or as a platform for my personal advancement?
- Do the people on my team feel known and seen by me?
- Do the people on my team know I desire to help them in their jobs and grow and develop as people?
- Do the people on my team feel they can trust me?
- Do the people on my team find me competent in the work that we do?
- Do the people on my team know my strengths and weaknesses and still join me in the daily work effort?
- Are the people on my team fully engaged in the work that we do?
- Are the people on my team more productive because of my influence?
- Do the people on my team feel valued as employees and as people?
- Do the people on my team feel that their work is relevant and contributes to the organization’s vision and purpose?
- Do the people on my team feel safe to provide open and honest feedback to other team members and me?
- Are the people on my team consistently loyal and supportive, giving me and others the benefit of the doubt?
- Do the people on my team find me teachable?
- Do the people on my team find me relatable and approachable?
What Level are You with Each Member of Your Team?
In The 5 Levels of Leadership, we teach/coach leaders to climb the influence levels to increase the engagement and buy-in of the people in their circle of influence. When a leader intentionally moves through these five levels, the answer to these questions gets easier and more apparent. Knowing the level you are on with a specific individual allows you to develop a plan of action to go to the next level. When you do this assessment with your entire circle of influence, you put yourself on the path to one day becoming a Level 5 leader.
Perry Holley is a coach and facilitator with the John Maxwell Company’s Corporate Solutions Group as well as a published author. He has a passion for developing others and seeing people grow into the leaders they were intended to become.