“How am I going?”
That’s the question great leaders ask those around them—their direct reports, peers and boss.
It’s their opinions that count as you rejuvenate your leadership. They know. They’re the people who’re watching you.
What Motivates Great Leaders To Ask The Question?
Great leaders:
- Care about being an exceptional leader. Good enough isn’t good enough for them.
- Enjoy contributing to others and to their organisation. They experience a quiet pride as they do so.
- Relish growing their career. In asking the question they give themselves every possible opportunity to realise their career goals.
The Great Leaders Ask—Then Listen, Intently, To The Answer
Wanting to hear the answer to the “How am I going?” question—AND feeling secure enough to not respond with anything but appreciation—is a distinctive feature of a great leader.
They don’t have a need to give reasons or excuses when they hear something that’s not music-to-their-ears.
They’re confident enough in their own skin to simply listen to what’s being said—and then say something like, “Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it.”
They mean it when they say “thank you”.
And then they act on it.
Your Action Steps
Are you up for asking that question of those around you?
To be at your best you need to know the impact that your leadership behaviours have on others, don’t you?
Whether it works for you to ask the question in an ad hoc way or in a scheduled manner doesn’t really matter.
What does matter is that you decide that hearing the response to that question is the most important thing in the world to your future as a leader.
Importantly, you’ll be asking the question such that the receiver of the question is able to be authentic.
So, ask the question—care about the answer—and responsively use your associates’ thinking as a signpost.
That’s what will elevate your leadership.
P.S. If you’d appreciate my support in rejuvenating your leadership (and your career) I suggest you apply for my free Roadblocks Assessment Session. It will also help you discover exactly what you can do to boost your success as a leader.
“Your support and encouragement helped me to change my perspective on my whole situation and inspired me to make positive changes in my work (and life) situation. I feel more courageous.”
—Leader, government health body
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Stevens has worked with leaders for more than 25-years—hundreds of them.
She’s supported leader after leader (including those who previously struggled to confront the difficult, let alone persuasively deal with the it) flourish—and become confident, courageous and impressively influential.
Carolyn is authentic and results-oriented. She draws on an eclectic array of approaches, tools and techniques to suit the situation.
