How to Measure Your Own Leadership Effectiveness
By Jayson Krause, Managing Director of Level 52 & Award-Winning Author of The Science Behind Success
Leadership. It's a term that's as loaded as a Vegas slot machine. But unlike a slot machine, leadership isn't about luck. It's about skill, strategy, and self-awareness. And just like a slot machine, you need to know when you're winning and when you're losing. So, how do you measure your own leadership effectiveness?
First, let's get one thing straight. Measuring leadership effectiveness isn't about counting how many people report to you or how big your office is. It's not about how many meetings you attend or how many emails you send. It's about impact. It's about influence. It's about making a difference.
So, how do you measure that?
Self-Assessment: This is where it all starts. You need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself some tough questions. Are you clear about your leadership style and how it impacts others? Are you consistent in your actions and decisions? Are you creating an environment where people feel empowered and motivated?
Feedback: This is the raw, unfiltered truth from those around you. It's about seeking out feedback from your team, your peers, and your superiors. It's about listening, really listening, to what they have to say. And it's about being open to hearing things you might not want to hear. The best way to do this is through a 360 peer review.
Results: This is the tangible evidence of your leadership. It's about looking at the performance of your team, the success of your projects, and the health of your organization. It's about measuring the outcomes of your actions and decisions. For example, the retention of those on your team, their engagement scores, and the many people you’ve promoted into greater opportunities inside the business. Those are the results you’re looking for.
Growth: This is the ultimate measure of leadership effectiveness. It's about asking yourself, are you growing as a leader? Are you learning, evolving, and improving? Are you pushing your boundaries and stepping out of your comfort zone to take on new challenges? The more senior you are, the more you need to stop doing the activities that serve the business today, so you can focus on reinventing the future of your business and that means reinventing yourself.
Measuring your leadership effectiveness isn't a one-time thing. It's an ongoing process. It's about constantly checking in with yourself, seeking feedback, evaluating results, and striving for growth.
So, take the time to measure your leadership effectiveness. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. Because the truth is that the most effective leaders are those who are willing to look in the mirror and be inspired by the one looking back at them.
