Tag Building a Leader

How to Evaluate Yourself as a Leader: A Practical Guide to Self-Assessment

Steve Keating Leave a comment

Leadership is a never-ending journey of growth. It requires self-awareness, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. That’s why evaluating yourself as a leader is so crucial to your long-term success. Self-evaluation is a powerful way to identify your strengths, uncover areas for development, and ensure you’re effectively guiding your team toward success. In this post, we’ll look at practical steps to assess your leadership skills, reflect on your impact, and set a course for growth.

Why Self-Evaluation Matters for Leaders

Self-evaluation is more than just a personal check-in; it’s a proactive step to align your actions with your values and goals. By regularly assessing your leadership, you can:

• Gain Clarity: Understand how your behaviors and decisions impact your team.

• Build Trust: Demonstrate accountability by recognizing and addressing your weaknesses.

• Drive Growth: Identify opportunities to enhance your skills and leadership style.

• Inspire Others: Model self-reflection, encouraging your team to grow alongside you.

Let’s dive into a step-by-step guide to evaluating yourself as a leader.

Step 1: Define Your Leadership Values and Goals

Before you can evaluate your performance, you need a clear benchmark. Start by reflecting on your core leadership values and goals:

• What kind of leader do you want to be? Are you aiming to be collaborative, decisive, empathetic, or innovative? Perhaps all of the above? Write down 3-5 core values that define your leadership philosophy.

• What are your goals? Consider both short-term objectives (e.g., improving team communication) and long-term aspirations (e.g., fostering a culture of innovation).

• How do these align with your organization’s mission? Ensure your personal leadership goals support the broader vision of your team or company.

Action Tip: Create a “Leadership Mission Statement” that encapsulates your values and goals. For example: “I strive to lead with empathy and clarity, empowering my team to achieve excellence while fostering a culture of trust and collaboration.” Post your mission statement where others can see it. That will help create accountability and build a bridge to step 2.

Step 2: Seek Feedback from Others

Self-evaluation is incomplete without external perspectives. Others can provide insights into how your leadership is perceived and its impact on the team. Here’s how to gather meaningful feedback:

• Ask for 360-degree feedback: Collect input from peers, direct reports, and supervisors. Use anonymous surveys or one-on-one conversations to encourage honesty.

• Ask specific questions: Instead of vague prompts like “How am I doing?”, ask targeted questions such as:

• “What’s one thing I do well as a leader?”

• “What’s one area where I could improve my support for the team?”

• Listen without defensiveness: Approach feedback with an open mind, focusing on growth rather than justification.

Action Tip: Use a tool like Google Forms or a platform like SurveyMonkey to create a simple, anonymous feedback survey. Schedule follow-up discussions with your team to clarify feedback and show your commitment to acting on it.

Step 3: Assess Your Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

I’m really close to saying that EQ is even more important for a leader than IQ. That’s because emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of effective leadership. It involves self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and relationship management. To evaluate your EQ:

• Self-Awareness: Reflect on how well you understand your emotions and their impact on your decisions. Do you recognize when stress or frustration affects your leadership?

• Self-Regulation: Consider how you handle challenges. Do you stay calm under pressure, or do you react impulsively?

• Empathy: Ask yourself how well you understand and respond to your team’s needs. Do you actively listen and show genuine care for their perspectives?

• Relationship Management: Evaluate your ability to build trust, resolve conflicts, and inspire collaboration.

Action Tip: Take an online EQ assessment, such as the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal by TalentSmart, or journal about a recent leadership challenge to analyze how your emotions influenced your actions.

Step 4: Review Your Decision-Making and Results

Leadership is often judged by outcomes. Evaluate your decision-making process and the results of your leadership:

• Decision-Making Process: Are your decisions informed, inclusive, and aligned with your values? Do you seek different perspectives before acting?

• Impact on Team Performance: Look at measurable outcomes, such as team productivity, morale, or project success. Have your actions led to positive results?

• Adaptability: Reflect on how you handle change or uncertainty. Do you pivot effectively when faced with challenges?

Action Tip: Review a recent project or initiative you led. Write down what went well, what didn’t, and one decision you would approach differently next time. Use this to identify patterns in your leadership style.

Step 5: Evaluate Your Communication Skills

Effective communication is critical for leadership success. Assess how well you convey ideas, listen, and encourage open dialogue.

• Clarity: Do you articulate goals and expectations clearly? Are your instructions easy to understand?

• Active Listening: Do you genuinely listen to your team’s ideas and concerns, or do you dominate conversations?

• Feedback Delivery: Are you constructive and specific when providing feedback? Do you balance praise with areas for improvement?

Action Tip: Record a team meeting (with permission) or ask a trusted colleague to observe your communication style. Note areas where you excel or could improve, such as body language or tone.

Step 6: Reflect on Your Team’s Growth and Engagement

A leader’s success is tied to their team’s growth and motivation. Evaluate how you are fostering a positive and productive environment:

• Team Development: Are you providing opportunities for your team to learn and grow? Do you delegate effectively to build their skills?

• Engagement: Are team members motivated and committed? Do they feel valued and empowered?

• Culture: What kind of culture are you creating? Is it inclusive, collaborative, and aligned with your values?

Action Tip: Conduct a “stay interview” with team members to understand what keeps them engaged and what could improve their experience. Use their insights to assess your impact as a leader.

Step 7: Set Goals for Improvement

Self-evaluation is only effective if it leads to action. Based on your reflections and feedback, identify 1-3 areas for improvement and create a plan:

• Be Specific: Instead of “I’ll be a better communicator,” aim for “I’ll practice active listening by summarizing team members’ points in meetings.”

• Set Measurable Goals: For example, “I will implement monthly one-on-one check-ins with my team to improve engagement.”

• Seek Resources: Consider leadership training, books (e.g., The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni), or a mentor to support your growth.

Action Tip: Create a 30-60-90-day plan outlining specific actions you will take to improve. Review your progress regularly to stay accountable.

Step 8: Make Self-Evaluation a Habit

Leadership evaluation isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing practice. Build self-reflection into your routine:

• Daily Reflection: Spend 5 minutes at the end of each day journaling about a leadership moment—what went well and what could be better.

• Monthly Check-Ins: Revisit your leadership mission statement and goals to ensure you’re on track.

• Annual Deep Dive: Conduct a comprehensive self-assessment, including 360-degree feedback, to measure your growth over time.

Action Tip: Use a journal or app like Evernote to track your reflections and progress. Set calendar reminders for monthly and annual check-ins.

Final Thoughts

Evaluating yourself as a leader requires honesty, humility, and a commitment to growth. By defining your values, seeking feedback, assessing your emotional intelligence, and reflecting on your impact, you can gain a clear picture of your strengths and areas for improvement.

The goal isn’t perfection but progress—each step you take toward becoming a better leader inspires your team and drives meaningful results. As you become a more effective leader, your team becomes more effective as well. And never forget, not even for a moment, that your leadership is not about you; it’s ALL about the people you lead.

So, take the first step today: carve out 15 minutes to reflect on one aspect of your leadership, such as how you handled a recent challenge. Then, commit to one small action to improve. Your team—and your future self—will thank you for it.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Consider supporting my efforts with a gift!

Hey everyone, I’m passionate about sharing insights on life and leadership through my blog. If you’ve found value in my posts and wish to see more content like this, please consider making a donation. Every little bit helps in continuing to provide quality guidance and inspiration.

But whether you can offer support or not, I’ll continue to try and write a blog that gives back, informs and sometimes even entertains. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for your support!

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your support is greatly appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

Developing the Next Generation of Leaders

Steve Keating 2 Comments

I used to be shocked when so-called “forward-thinking” organizations couldn’t say who would be leading their organization in ten years. Worse than that, they had no idea who within their organizations would even be a good candidate. They were essentially “rolling the dice” on the future of their organizations every single day.

I’m not surprised by any of that these days because it’s actually very common. Many companies invest millions in new technology and products. However they invest precious little in developing their next generation of leaders. They hope for the best. They assume “when the time comes” that the next generation of leaders will show themselves.

When it comes to leadership, hoping and assuming are very poor strategies.

To build the next generation of leaders, organizations need a smart, long-term plan. This plan should focus on spotting, coaching, and empowering future leaders. Here’s a structured framework to ensure your organization has a strong pipeline of future leaders.

1. Identify High-Potential Employees

Not everyone is suited for leadership. Organizations should establish criteria to recognize employees with leadership potential. Look for:

Strong problem-solving skills

Emotional intelligence

Initiative and accountability

Ability to inspire and influence others

A willingness to learn and accept new challenges

Action Steps:

Use performance reviews and feedback to spot leadership traits

Encourage nominations from peers and managers

Conduct leadership assessments and regular 360-degree feedback

2. Provide Leadership Training and Development

Training should go beyond technical skills to focus on leadership competencies.

Action Steps:

Offer leadership development programs, mentorship, and coaching

Encourage participation in cross-functional projects

Provide soft skills training, such as communication and decision-making

3. Create Mentorship & Coaching Opportunities

Pairing emerging leaders with experienced mentors accelerates growth and fosters knowledge transfer.

Action Steps:

Develop a structured mentorship program

Encourage senior leaders to guide and support high-potential employees

Promote reverse mentoring to allow junior employees to share new insights

4. Encourage Real-World Leadership Experience

Leadership cannot be learned in theory alone—it must be practiced.

Action Steps:

Assign stretch assignments and leadership roles in projects

Offer job rotations to expose employees to different business areas

Provide opportunities to lead meetings, initiatives, or small teams

5. Foster a Culture of Feedback and Continuous Learning

Ongoing feedback helps future leaders refine their skills and adjust their approach.

Action Steps:

Implement regular check-ins and coaching sessions

Encourage self-reflection and adaptability

Provide access to executive leadership for open discussions

6. Align Leadership Development with Organizational Goals

Ensure that future leaders are prepared to drive the company’s vision forward.

Action Steps:

Clearly communicate company values and expectations

Develop leadership competencies that align with business objectives

Measure the impact of leadership development initiatives

7. Recognize and Reward Leadership Growth

Acknowledging leadership efforts motivates employees to develop further.

Action Steps:

Offer promotions or new leadership roles when ready

Recognize leadership contributions through incentives and public appreciation

Build a clear career progression path for emerging leaders

8. Create a Succession Planning Strategy

Leadership development should prepare individuals for critical roles in the future.

Action Steps:

Identify key positions and potential successors early

Build personalized development plans for successors

Review and update the succession plan regularly

By systematically investing in leadership development, organizations can build a strong pipeline of capable leaders who will drive future success. Long-term successful organizations know that the best time to develop their next generation of leaders is today.

If you leave leadership development to chance, then there is a good chance that your organization will lose potential leaders that one day you’ll wish were still on your team. I’m betting you really don’t want that to happen… so don’t.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Consider supporting my efforts with a donation!

Hey everyone, I’m passionate about sharing insights on life and leadership through my blog. If you’ve found value in my posts and wish to see more content like this, please consider making a donation. Every little bit helps in continuing to provide quality guidance and inspiration.

But whether you can offer support or not, I’ll continue to try and write a blog that gives back, informs and sometimes even entertains. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for your support!

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

Earning the Right to Lead

Steve Keating Leave a comment

One of the most common mistakes new leaders make is assuming that their position or title makes them a leader. It is as if one day they were individual contributors and the next day they were a respected leader. All because they have a new title or a position higher up in their organization.

But all the title or position does is give them the opportunity to earn the right to lead. It’s an opportunity that was available to them before they even had that position or title. They either didn’t realize it, or more likely, saw no need to earn the right to lead until they were actually in a leadership position.

But anyone who truly leads has earned that right by developing certain qualities and characteristics that inspire trust, respect, and commitment from others. They know that leadership is less about their title and more about the influence they build through their actions.

Here’s how you can also earn the right to lead.

1. Lead by Example

• Integrity: Do what you say you will do. Consistency in your values and actions builds trust.

• Work Ethic: Be willing to do the hard work. People follow those who demonstrate commitment. Never, ever forget that you’re leading by example, whether you intend to or not. It’s foolish to expect the people you lead to outwork you. You must show the way before you can lead the way.

• Humility: Acknowledge your mistakes and remain open to feedback and learning.

2. Develop Strong Relationships Throughout Your Organization

• Empathy: Understand and care about the needs, feelings, and challenges of others. Leaders who show empathy build deeper connections with their teams.

• Active Listening: Pay attention to others’ input, showing that their opinions are valued.

• Trust: Earn and give trust by being reliable, supportive, and respectful. We all have within us what I call a “credibility bank.” Every time we do exactly what we say we will, a small deposit is made into our credibility bank. Each time we fail to do exactly what we said we would do, a large withdrawal is made from that same credibility bank. That may not seem fair, but that’s the way it is. When your credibility balance goes too low, you lose the opportunity to lead.

3. Be Competent

• Knowledge and Skills: Demonstrating expertise in your field and continuously learning builds credibility. When people know you’re skilled, they’ll trust your decisions.

• Decision-Making: Be decisive but also thoughtful. Balancing analysis with intuition helps others to believe in your leadership.

• Problem Solving: Leaders who can navigate challenges and come up with effective solutions gain the confidence of those they lead. And always remember, you are not the only one in your organization with good ideas. Listen to your team; your success as a leader depends on it.

4. Serve Others

• Servant Leadership: Prioritize the needs of your team and help them succeed. When people feel you’re invested in their growth, they’re more likely to follow you.

• Support and Empower: Encourage your team, give them the tools and freedom to excel, and celebrate their successes, big and small.

5. Communicate Frequently and Effectively

• Clarity and Transparency: Be open about your goals, vision, and the reasoning behind decisions. Clear communication reduces uncertainty and builds trust. Information is the enemy of rumor. The more effectively you communicate with your people, the fewer productivity-killing rumors you’ll have to deal with.

• Inspire: Share a vision that motivates others. A good leader knows how to articulate purpose and drive passion.

6. Build Credibility Over Time

• Consistency: Leadership is earned through long-term behavior, not one-time acts. Be consistent in your character, values, and performance.

• Accountability: Hold yourself accountable for your actions and the outcomes of your team. When things go wrong, accept responsibility; when things go right, share credit.

7. Adaptability

• Embrace Change: Leaders must be flexible and open to new ideas. Being adaptable demonstrates that you’re capable of guiding others through evolving situations.

• Resilience: Show strength in tough times. People look to leaders for confidence and direction when facing adversity.

8. Emotional Intelligence

• Self-Awareness: Understand your own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses. Leaders who are self-aware make better decisions and manage relationships effectively.

• Social Awareness: Recognize group dynamics, understand others’ emotions, and respond appropriately. This skill helps navigate complex interpersonal situations.

These are the qualities and characteristics that will help you earn the right to lead. By consistently embodying these traits, you build trust, respect, and influence. That ensures you have the commitment of the people you lead.

People in leadership positions who lack these qualities and characteristics can attempt to force the compliance of their people, but it’s unlikely they will ever have their commitment.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Consider supporting my efforts with a donation!
I put a significant amount of time and effort into writing a couple of blog posts each week. My primary goal is simple, to help other people. That doesn’t mean a little financial support isn’t appreciated. If you’ve benefited from my efforts and think my posts are valuable, I’d certainly appreciate whatever support you might be able to offer.
But whether you can offer support or not, I’ll continue to try and write a blog that gives back, informs and sometimes even entertains. I hope you enjoy it!

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly

How to Lead and How Not to Lead – Part of a periodic series

Steve Keating 1 Comment

So let’s start with the how not to lead. 

In order for your people to follow you they will need to trust you. Trust is a two-way street so if you’re wondering how NOT to lead the first step is to demonstrate that you absolutely do not, under any circumstances, trust your people. They will find it impossible to trust you when it’s obvious you don’t trust them. You will be responsible for turning their work situation into a nightmare. You can bet your last dollar they will do likewise for you. 

To demonstrate that you do not trust them you’ll want to first convince yourself that no one can do as good a job as you. That will be second nature for too many people in leadership positions but some people will only be convinced of that the first time one of their people makes a mistake. 

Once you’re certain that you do pretty much everything better than anyone else you can move up to delegating tasks to the people likely to screw them up. Be sure to delegate only crap jobs that you don’t like to do. There’s no sense in delegating a task because it may help them grow as team members or people in general. 

Once you’ve assigned them a task be certain to manage every single step in the process required to complete the task. Constant nonstop micro-managing will ensure even your worst team members will turn in good results. As “everyone” knows, people love to be micro-managed so manage the heck out of everything and everyone. 

This method of “leading” will also help eliminate questions in the future. Rather than attempting to accomplish anything on their own and needing a question answered along the way, your people will simply wait and do nothing. That should make for far fewer messes for you to clean up. 

Plus, if you were ever “charged” in a court of law with being a leader there would be absolutely no evidence to convict you. 

But let’s assume for a minute that you’re reading this blog because you actually do want to lead more effectively. 

Let’s see what that would look like. 

First, remind yourself that you don’t know it all. Remind yourself that there may be more than one way to accomplish the same task. Remind yourself that your way may in fact not be the best way. Once you become an experienced Authentic Leader you won’t have to remind yourself of these things anymore. They will have been proven to you again and again. 

Then you can delegate whatever tasks you think will help your people grow. It may be that you’re sure they can handle it or it may be something that will “stretch” the limits of their comfort zones. Either way the goal should be to meet the required objective while helping people grow. It might be easier if you did the job yourself but you know that Authentic Leaders take a longer term view of people development. They realize that the time they use to help people learn a new job or task is an investment, not an expense. 

Now you can turn them lose and give them the autonomy that demonstrates you trust them. You can offer them support, some training or other assistance when required. But if they don’t ask for assistance then allow them to do their thing. If you’ve followed a well defined delegation process they will be fine. You will be fine. Even if they accomplished the task in a different fashion than you would have. If the task was completed ethically, on time, within the budgetary guidelines and the objective was met then your leadership efforts have been successful. 

If for some reason the task wasn’t completed as required then you have the opportunity for additional coaching to improve their results next time. Before you do any coaching you need to determine where the delegation went off the rails. Was it something your team member did or didn’t do? Perhaps it was some detail you forgot to discuss with them? Authentic Leaders never assume the fault is the responsibility of the people they lead. They look first at themselves to determine if and how they might improve as well. 

So there you have it. Are you more on the leading side or the not so much side? If you’re on the “not” side then you have some work to do…but only if you truly want to lead. 

On a different subject… Everyone can use a “nudge” towards success. I’m trying something new on Twitter. It’s called “Super Followers.” For $5 a month, that’s 17 cents a day, people can follow a part of my Twitter stream that is for subscribers only. It features short videos of me discussing leadership topics, sales tips and ideas for better overall relationships. I’m assuming there will be far fewer Super Followers than the million or so people who regularly follow me on Twitter. That will give me the opportunity to answer questions more throughly than I can on regular Twitter. Most of the answers will come in the evening cause we all have day jobs, right? Think of it as ”mentoring on demand!”

My goal with SuperFollowers is to build a better connection, one where I can help more and have a greater impact. I’m hoping it gives me a chance to mentor to a wider audience. It’s still new, we’ll see how it works. It’s a $5 dollar investment that may be the extra “push” you need to get to where you want to be. I’d be honored to be able to help get you there. 

You can find more information by clicking the Super Follow button on my Twitter profile page IN THE TWITTER APP. http://twitter.com/leadtoday Give it a try if you’re so inclined, and if you are, be sure to let me know how I’m doing and how I can be of even more help.

The Time to Lead

Steve Keating 2 Comments

Leading people is not easy. Especially when compared to managing things. There are management processes and standard work practices. Both are predictable, you do certain things, you get a known outcome as a result. 

But people can’t be managed, they must be led. When leading people there are few predictable outcomes. People will always surprise you. We can’t know for certain how people will react in various circumstances until we see them react. Just because they acted in a particular way does not guarantee they will act the same way when they are in similar circumstances. 

That can make leading people a significant challenge. It can also make leading people very rewarding. Authentic Leadership helps people grow and develop. It frequently helps ordinary people achieve extraordinary results. It turns followers into leaders. 

The challenge of actually leading people is what causes many people in leadership positions to attempt to manage their people. Attempting to manage people causes an entire host of problems. In fact most of the personnel “problems” that an HR department deals with are a result of a person being managed rather than led. 

The employee may be labeled a “problem employee” when in reality it could well be a leadership issue. 

People in leadership positions who don’t actually lead quickly become frustrated with their people. They don’t understand why people won’t respond in predictable patterns. They give the same direction to 5 different people and they get 5 different results. They are also unlikely to understand their own role in the 5 different results. 

If you’re in a leadership position and you’re struggling with the performance of your people you first have to consider your role in their performance. You need to accept the fact that their performance is at least partly related to your effectiveness in leading them. If you have someone in your organization who is underperforming then there are two possible “root causes.” One, you hired the wrong person or you put them in the wrong role. Two, you are not providing them with the skills and tools they need to succeed. Either way, you must own that. 

You must also consider how you “see” your people. Are your people an expense or an investment. When you are attempting to coach an underperforming team member do you think “I’m going to have to SPEND time ON that person to get them up to speed.” Or do you think to yourself, “I have an opportunity to INVEST time WITH that person to help them reach the potential I see in them.” 

The difference in that mindset will shape every conversation with your team. Your people will pick up on that attitude and they will respond accordingly. If you believe your people are a problem then I can almost guarantee you that your people will be a problem. 

Leading people, Authentically Leading them, will take an investment of time. Often a substantial investment. If you don’t have the time to truly lead then you are doing your people and your organization a disservice by occupying a leadership position. You may want to stick with managing things because it could be that people just aren’t for you. 

Measuring Authentic Leadership

Steve Keating 6 Comments

I was asked recently what characteristics I look for in an Authentic Leader. Well that’s a big question and the answer would consume several blog posts. But perhaps the most important “characteristic” isn’t a characteristic at all. It also isn’t “in” the leader. 

If I want to know how authentic a leader is, and how effective they are, I don’t look at the leader. I look at the people they lead. I look to see if their followers are authentic as well. Are they committed to the leader? Are they engaged and consistently motivated? Are they accomplishing extraordinary things?

Most important, what percentage of them are moving beyond Authentic Followership to become leaders themselves?

The most common shortcoming of limited leaders is they fail to help their followers become leaders. I can’t even begin to count the times I’ve seen people in leadership positions lose an opportunity for promotion. The opportunity was lost because they had not built even one of their followers into a leader capable of taking over their role. 

I frequently see leaders who move on, either to retire or move up into a different organization, and there is no one on their team prepared to step in and lead. It happens again and again. In every organization. Every single day. 

If you’re in a leadership position and you’re not working with your people to help them grow from follower to leader then you may possess certain characteristics of an Authentic Leader but you are not leading authentically. 

Authentic Leaders do not create more followers, they create more leaders. Leaders who grow more leaders leave behind a legacy that limited leaders can’t. 

If you’re trying to determine if someone is an Authentic Leader look at the people they lead. If they are transforming from follower to leader then it’s very likely the person leading them is a true Authentic Leader. If not then they are in all likelihood being led by a leader who is at least somewhat limited. 

Leaders who help followers become leaders have the potential to unleash explosive growth within their organization. They have the potential to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary accomplishments. Their leadership outlasts their time as a leader. 

When you see a leader like that you know you’re looking at an Authentic Leader. That‘s true even if you can’t see the obvious characteristics of Authentic Leadership.

Leading from the Front

Steve Keating 3 Comments

Most commonly leaders lead from the front. There is nothing wrong with that, usually. But, if you’re only leading from the front you run the danger of getting too far out in front of your people and when you turn around there’s actually no one there anymore. 

 

Authentic Servant Leaders never outrun their people in their rush to succeed. 

 

Hopefully you’ve found yourself in a leadership position because in some way, or perhaps many ways, you have outrun your competition for the position. If that’s the case then one of the first things you need to do upon becoming a leader is slow your roll. Stop trying to outrun everyone else, the race is over. 

 

If you consistently outrun the people you’re supposed to be leading it won’t be long before you’re leading no one. You may have incredibly high expectations for yourself but it is a mistake to transfer the expectations you have for yourself to everyone else in your organization. 

 

They may not be as committed as you are, they may not have the same skill level as you, they may value “life balance” more than you and there are a hundred other things that could cause them to not keep up with your pace.

 

As a leader it’s your job to help them exceed their expectations for themselves and overcome any artificial limitations they may have. But…. and this is big, setting unrealistic and unreasonable expectations for your people will cause them to fail as surely as having no expectations at all. 

 

Authentic Servant Leaders lead from the front and pull their people to success, they occasionally lead from the rear and push their people further than they thought they could go. Most often however, Authentic Servant Leaders lead from the middle. It’s leading from the middle that allows a leader to come along side of their people and coach them to success. 

 

When a leader coaches their people to success they ensure that their leadership legacy outlasts their leadership. When a leader leads from the front or rear they tend to make more and frankly, better followers. But Authentic Servant Leaders know that true leadership success means making more than just followers, it means making more leaders.

 

That requires being close to your people. It requires that you never get so far out in front of them that they lose sight of you. It would be simple to say that if your people can’t see you then they can’t follow you. But the fact is if they can’t see you, hear you, and even feel you then they can’t learn from you. 

 

You can’t grow your organization without growing your people. You can’t grow your people by separating yourself from them. One of the fastest ways to separate yourself from your people is to outrun them.


Stay close to your people, never think of them as slowing you down. Think of yourself as the leader who helps them move forward as fast, but never faster, than they possible can.