Leadership and self-awareness: some useful questions to reflect on and that can help us stay "on track"
Why do even experienced leaders lose their way?
If you're a successful person (ok, the definition is multifaceted, but you get the idea), you probably received a lot of guidance and support early in your career. You had mentors, constant feedback, and every step forward was monitored.for me it was like this!)
But over time, everything changed. The higher you climb the ladder, the less feedback you receive. To the point where you find yourself navigating alone, with no one to tell you where you're going wrong.
Here's the problem (in my opinion): No leader, no matter how talented, is immune from mistakesOver time, bad habits accumulate, the context changes, and what worked before can suddenly become ineffective.
📌 Question for you: When was the last time you had a chance to reflect on your leadership style?
The only way to avoid losing control: ask yourself the right questions.
The best leaders are not those who never make mistakes, but those who They quickly realize when they are going in the wrong direction and correct their course..
How? With a very simple exercise: stop regularly (every 3-6 months) and ask yourself some basic questions.
Here you are The 7 areas every leader should reflect on periodically, so as not to risk ending up off course without even realizing it.
1. Vision and Priorities: Does your team really know where they are going?
Many leaders have a clear vision in their heads, but they fail to communicate it effectively to the team (especially when in their minds it has changed or evolved). The result? Confused people, vague goals, and wasted time.
🔹 Questions to reflect on:
- Am I clearly (regularly) communicating my vision for the company or team?
- Does my team know exactly what to focus on?
- If you asked a collaborator what they are Today the 3 company priorities, could you answer?
📌 If your team doesn't have a clear answer, perhaps you need to communicate your strategy better and more frequently.
2. Time Management: Are You Paying Attention to What Really Matters?
Leaders often end up wasting time on activities that bring no real value, just because they're used to doing them. But time is your most precious resource. I don't want to invite you to revisit Covey's (or is it Eisenhower's?) time management matrix for the umpteenth time, and I'll just ask you a few simple questions that always come in handy when I ask myself.
🔹 Questions to reflect on:
- How am I really spending my time?
- Does my time reflect my priorities?
- Are there tasks I can delegate to focus on the truly strategic things?
📌 Try tracking your time for a week and you'll discover some amazing surprises.
3. Feedback: How often do you give (and receive) honest feedback?
Many leaders only give feedback in end-of-year interviews, but by then it's too late. People want (and need) to know how they're doing right away.
🔹 Questions to reflect on:
- Am I giving clear and timely feedback?
- Do I have someone who gives me honest feedback (even when it's hard to hear)?
- Does my team know what to improve on, or will they find out everything at the end of the year?
4. Succession Planning: What if I had to leave tomorrow?
If you are not actively training your successors, you are a bottleneck for team growth.
🔹 Questions to reflect on:
- Have I identified people to develop as potential successors?
- Am I delegating enough, or am I holding back the organization?
- Do my employees feel challenged and engaged, or are they at risk of leaving to pursue new opportunities?
Conclusion: the questions that make the difference
No leader can be perfect. But The best leaders are those who regularly stop to reflect and correct their course.
Success in leadership does not depend on perfect answers, but from the ability to ask the right questions at the right time.
🔹 Final question: Which of these areas deserves your attention today?
I'm sorry for the repetitive nature of the previous resources. To enrich the article "Do Even Experienced Leaders Lose Their Way?" with more specific and varied Open Source Management content, here's a dedicated section:
🔗 Open Source Management Resources
🔍
✔️ The 6 ingredients of competitiveness
This article explores the essential qualities for staying on course in business, including determination, grit, perseverance, resilience, self-confidence, and courage.
✔️ Starting over requires courage and determination.
Giovanni Conversano shares eight actions that have made a difference in his life, offering insights on how leaders can get back up after a fall and find their way again.
✔️ Life is a continuous ReStart
Sandra Goracci discusses the importance of resilience and the ability to cope with adversity, providing guidance on how leaders can regain control and bounce back after difficult times.
✔️ Think big
Andrea Condello emphasizes the importance of maintaining a broad vision and being resilient, offering advice on how leaders can overcome challenges and continue to grow.
✔️ Spiritual Economics
A training course that helps leaders unleash their untapped potential, overcome mental limitations and be reborn with a new perspective, essential for finding their way again.
📚 Insights to Stay on Course in Leadership
📖 Find out more
✔️ “FROM PROFITS TO ASSETS” by Business Partners
This book guides entrepreneurs on the journey from generating profits to creating protected personal wealth, offering strategies for best managing business and personal resources.
✔️ “Emotions in Command” by Ivan Zorzetto
Explore the role of emotions in leadership and how vulnerability can become a strategic resource for staying on course and effectively leading a team.
✔️ “Spiritual Business” by Anna Marras
A text that integrates ethics, values, and authenticity into leadership, offering insights on how to face challenges and maintain direction even in complex situations.
This selection of resources offers insights into how leaders can address challenges, build resilience, and find their direction.
🔗 Other resources
📖 Learn more about leadership
✔️ “The New Leaders” by Paolo Ruggeri
This book is a real management training course to increase your leadership and better manage your staff.
✔️ “Human Potential”
In this book, you will discover the mistakes NOT to make in human resources management and the mindset of the new leader.
✔️ "Personnel Management for Managers and Entrepreneurs" by Giuseppe Arata
This book covers the attitude and mindset of a successful leader, the 7 leadership models, and how to grow your team by creating a meritocratic system.
📚 Learn more
🔍
✔️ Goal-Oriented Leadership: The Importance of Staying on Course
This article explores how leaders can maintain direction by focusing on goals, setting clear expectations, and providing regular feedback to the team.
✔️ The Role of Mental Strength in Leadership
Examines the importance of mental resilience for leaders, highlighting how mental strength helps overcome challenges and stay on course even in difficult situations.
✔️ Leadership: Meaning, Examples, and Models
It offers a comprehensive overview of leadership, emphasizing the importance of effective management to stay on track and ensure that every team member contributes to the common success.
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