<p><strong>3. Am I Being The Change I Want To See? </strong></p> <p>The famous <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/24499-be-the-change-that-you-wish-to-see-in-the” target=”_blank”>quote</a> by Gandhi, &quot;Be the change that you wish to see in the world,&quot; is very applicable for leaders. This first requires clarity on the impact you want to have as a leader, then ensures your actions and words role model that impact. If you are not successfully doing what you ask of others, you can’t expect them to follow with enthusiasm. – <a href=”https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonniedavis01/” target=”_blank”>Bonnie Davis</a>, <a href=”http://www.destination-up.com/” target=”_blank”>Destination Up </a></p> <p><strong>4. What Are My Reactive Triggers? </strong></p> <p>We all have reactive triggers. Knowing your reactive tendencies will allow you to shift to using these strengths in a creative and strategic way. Not asking this question keeps you reacting to day-to-day fires and situations and will dig a bigger and bigger hole. To step into strategic leadership, you must continually raise your personal awareness of how you react. Do you protect, comply or control? – <a href=”https://twitter.com/jenn_lofgren” target=”_blank”>Jenn Lofgren</a>, <a href=”http://www.incito.ca/” target=”_blank”>Incito Executive &amp; Leadership Development </a></p>

<p><strong>5. Who Do I Need To Get Feedback From? </strong></p> <p>The question leaders need to ask is not to themselves, but to every single person who works for them. The best leaders are those who have developed relationships where the answers they get are genuine and honest. &quot;What am I doing well, and what’s in the way of my being the best possible leader I can be?&quot; Getting feedback from others is far more important than any question you ask yourself. – <a href=”https://twitter.com/davidbutlein” target=”_blank”>David Butlein, Ph.D</a>., <a href=”http://bluecase.com/” target=”_blank”>BLUECASE Strategic Partners </a></p> <p><strong><span class=”il”>6. What Don’t I Know That I Need To Know? </span></strong></p> <p>And who from my team can fill in the gap? This is a great way to grow people around you, as you’re paying attention to the fact that everyone knows something you don’t. It shows respect for their knowledge, gives you a sense of how they think and can support you, and how you can help them grow, as well. – <a href=”https://twitter.com/The_ShadowCoach” target=”_blank”>Donna Karlin</a>, <a href=”http://www.noceilingjustskyinstitute.com/” target=”_blank”>No Ceiling, Just Sky™ Institute </a></p> <p><strong>7. How Well Do I Listen And Connect With Others? </strong></p> <p>As a leader, do you really listen to others? How do you know and how do you demonstrate that you really heard the other person? When we actively listen to another person, trust develops, the other person feels valued and important, and miscommunication, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations decrease. Listening slows down the conversation where each individual feels more connected. – <a href=”https://twitter.com/FoutsMelinda” target=”_blank”>Melinda Fouts, Ph.D.</a>, <a href=”http://successstartswithyou.net/” target=”_blank”>Success Starts With You</a></p> <a href=”http://successstartswithyou.net/” target=”_blank”> </a>” readability=”101.79383886256″>

Being a leader takes great skill. You need to garner the respect of your peers and also lead in a responsible and effective manner. Some of the greatest leaders also take a moment to assess their skills and activity using a leadership audit.

The benefit of a leadership audit is the ability to discover areas where you need to improve and celebrate the areas where you are excelling. According to a report by MindTools, having the responsibilities of a leader doesn’t necessarily make you a good leader. But, leadership can be learned, and by asking the right questions, you can easily see the areas where you need to make changes to your style.

Below, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council share the one question leaders should be asking themselves as part of their own leadership audit. Here is what they had to say:

1. When Did I Last Look In The Mirror?

As leaders, let’s encourage a culture of accountability, creativity and innovation by continually looking in the mirror to develop solutions for moving forward, particularly if something didn’t go as planned. Rather than blaming or pointing fingers, we should reflect on how we’d like to be treated, roll up our sleeves, anticipate risks and leap forward to help. – Joanne Markow, GreenMason

2. Where Are My Blind Spots?

It’s no surprise that leaders are extraordinarily talented and experienced professionals in their respective fields. Even still, no leader can attest to knowing everything. Everyone has blind spots and knowledge gaps, and when discovered, they must be addressed. No matter their achievements or the laundry list of recent wins, leaders should be eager to uncover their weak areas and improve them. – Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq., WordSmithRapport

3. Am I Being The Change I Want To See?

The famous quote by Gandhi, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world,” is very applicable for leaders. This first requires clarity on the impact you want to have as a leader, then ensures your actions and words role model that impact. If you are not successfully doing what you ask of others, you can’t expect them to follow with enthusiasm. – Bonnie Davis, Destination Up

4. What Are My Reactive Triggers?

We all have reactive triggers. Knowing your reactive tendencies will allow you to shift to using these strengths in a creative and strategic way. Not asking this question keeps you reacting to day-to-day fires and situations and will dig a bigger and bigger hole. To step into strategic leadership, you must continually raise your personal awareness of how you react. Do you protect, comply or control? – Jenn Lofgren, Incito Executive & Leadership Development

5. Who Do I Need To Get Feedback From?

The question leaders need to ask is not to themselves, but to every single person who works for them. The best leaders are those who have developed relationships where the answers they get are genuine and honest. “What am I doing well, and what’s in the way of my being the best possible leader I can be?” Getting feedback from others is far more important than any question you ask yourself. – David Butlein, Ph.D., BLUECASE Strategic Partners

6. What Don’t I Know That I Need To Know?

And who from my team can fill in the gap? This is a great way to grow people around you, as you’re paying attention to the fact that everyone knows something you don’t. It shows respect for their knowledge, gives you a sense of how they think and can support you, and how you can help them grow, as well. – Donna Karlin, No Ceiling, Just Sky™ Institute

7. How Well Do I Listen And Connect With Others?

As a leader, do you really listen to others? How do you know and how do you demonstrate that you really heard the other person? When we actively listen to another person, trust develops, the other person feels valued and important, and miscommunication, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations decrease. Listening slows down the conversation where each individual feels more connected. – Melinda Fouts, Ph.D., Success Starts With You