Are you a good leader? How do you know? Review this quick leadership checklist to see how you measure up against characteristics of great leaders.
8 Questions for a Great Leader
- Is your door open more than it is closed? Does your team feel comfortable coming to you with questions, ideas and concerns?
- Do you have favorites or are you fair with all your staff? This can be tough – it’s part of human nature to develop close bonds.
- Do you have a culture of safety? People make mistakes. Do you punish or provide an environment that creates learning opportunities?
- How are you in managing your team’s work/life balance issues? It never fails – on the day of your yearly strategic planning meeting your key team member is out with a sick child. Are you empathetic or frustrated?
- Are you even- tempered and consistent with your emotions? Are you predictable in your reactions in times of change and crisis? Keep calm and carry on!
- Have you set expectations with your team? Does your staff know clearly what is expected of them and are they given the support to reach their goals?
- Do you micromanage your staff? Or do you empower them to make changes and decisions with the end goal in mind?
- Are you having fun? Are you creating an environment where people enjoy coming to work regardless of the external stressors?
The best way to assess your leadership skills is to look at your team:
Are they having fun?
Are they feeling successful?
Is the team reaching goals?
What other questions could you ask someone to determine if their characteristics are ones of great leaders?
