How can a successful leader be identified?
What differentiates them from other leaders?
Of course, they inspire and motivate others, set a great example, are creative, and constantly seek improvement. They never stop learning because they are receptive to new concepts. They form new teams, encourage people to pursue leadership without making them feel uncomfortable, and they have a distinct vision and plan of action.
Outstanding leaders can be identified by the questions they ask of themselves and others. The following are seven essential questions successful leaders ask.
What do you think?
Great leaders know they don’t have all the solutions and are self-assured enough to invite input from other team members. They solicit ideas that may be better than their own and are not scared to do so. They encourage their teams to communicate honestly and openly because they want them to thrive in a creative setting. They view ideas as a reflection of their inclusive leadership rather than a challenge to their power.
How can I be better?
Author and leadership speaker John C. Maxwell describes the questions he asked himself to become a better leader in his book Good Leaders Ask Great Questions. They address a wide range of topics, including how to get the best from others, his own leadership style, and how he may support aspiring leaders.
One of the most important lessons is that effective leaders should constantly look for ways to do better. They are continually seeking ways to improve their performance and never stop learning. The day you stop evaluating your leadership honestly is the day you stop developing.
What is your biggest problem, and how can I solve it?
When Lori Goler interviewed for a Facebook position, she asked Sheryl Sandberg, “What is your biggest problem, and how can I solve it?” Surprised, Sandberg admitted that recruiting was her biggest issue and recruited Golder. Golder later returned the favor by becoming Facebook’s Vice President of Human Resources and Recruiting. Have faith in your ability to stand out from the crowd and confidence in it.
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What is our biggest problem?
Great leaders also ponder this aloud as a broader topic. The benefit of posing the question is that it compels the team to detail what is preventing the business from progressing.
No one may want to discuss this issue because it seems too onerous or daunting to handle. By asking the question, it will gain attention, be openly debated, and move closer to a solution. Great leaders are constantly trying to break through barriers.
What have I learned today?
All exceptional leaders ponder this query. They do it frequently—some even do it every day—because their learning curve is steep, and their growth curve is ongoing. They are willing to improve their abilities, learn from their errors, and never think they have all the answers. They never take a break or celebrate their past successes. Instead, they consider their mistakes and choices and plan to stop them from happening again.
How am I making an impact?
Outstanding leaders wrestle with this question regularly, not as a means of justification or self-promotion, but as a reaction to their responsibility and understanding of how their decisions and actions affect their team and company—evaluating results of changes made and whether they improve people’s lives or complicate them.
What don’t I know?
Great leaders are always trying to shrink their blind spots and expand their vision. Leaders tend to become increasingly further removed from the team as they move up the organizational structure. Since they frequently only have two or three direct reports, all they learn is passed through them. The team members who are significantly lower on the org chart get one-on-one interaction with great leaders. They pose challenging queries and pay close attention to the responses. Some leaders even start anonymous polls to encourage open communication about people’s difficulties or offer suggestions on how to get things done better.
Takeaway
Great leaders are not afraid to ask tough questions of themselves or others. They understand the importance of being honest with their teams and how the correct questions may inspire helpful responses while also exposing barriers to business progress. They are also aware that they must continually look ahead rather than back at their past successes.
Chad is an award-winning senior sales leader, public speaker, and author with 25 years of experience managing client accounts in the digital technology, SaaS, automotive, advertising, and telecommunications industries. He has served in large multi-national public companies and smaller privately held organizations, modeling, building, and scaling high-performance sales teams throughout the U.S.
In 2022, Chad founded Best Life Ventures, LLC, utilizing his career experience to advise, train, develop, coach, and mentor sales leaders and their teams through fractional leadership and consulting. He also provides one-on-one coaching for sales leaders.
email: chadjohnson856@gmail.com
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/Chad-Johnson
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