We often have annual performance reviews with our direct reports, but what about with ourselves?
It’s incredibly important to reflect on our performance as leaders, and continuously find ways to improve and grow as we transition from project to project or year to year.
Here are five questions to ask yourself to enhance your awareness of what worked, what didn’t, and how you can best prepare for what’s next in your personal and professional development:
- What are 3-5 moments that made me happy and why?
- What are 3-5 moments that frustrated me and why?
- When did I feel most confident as a leader and why?
- When did I most doubt myself as a leader and why?
- From the start to the end of the year, in which areas did my performance as a leader improve? Decline? Stay the same?
You can then take your answers to those five questions and lay some groundwork for the year ahead:
Next year, I will:
- Continue to…
- Not…
- Learn how to…
- Improve…
Finally, be sure to hit on the “WHY” for your answers above in order to drive home your intrinsic reasons for making these changes.
Some of these questions may be difficult to answer, especially if you’re new to self-reflective work. Keep in mind that it’s all about progress, not perfection. Take what works for you, leave what doesn’t, but start somewhere.
It will benefit both you and the people you lead in the long run.
Thanks, and happy leading folks!
– Coach MJ
