Perhaps the simplest way to know you are leading effectively is that you and your team are producing the results you promise to your organization. However, being an effective leader is about more than just producing results with and through others.
After all, you can produce results when people work long grueling hours that over time leave them feeling exhausted and used up by the time that they achieve those results. I don’t know about you, but I would not consider that effectiveleadership.
Now, of course, there are times when you and those who work with and for you will need to work exceedingly long and hard to achieve something you promised. Hard work can also be immensely satisfying.
Yet ask yourself at the end of a challenging project: what did we accomplish beyond the results we delivered?
- Do we feel used up or do we feel satisfied that we accomplished something that matters?
- Are we proud of what we have accomplished?
- Are we in some way better as a team than we were before? For example, did we build better, stronger, more trusting relationships?
- Have we grown in capabilities, experience, knowledge, etc. that will enable us to take on something bigger and bolder, or simply so we can be more productive, effective and enjoy our work and working together more going forward?
Two Ways You’ll Know You are Leading Effectively
Why Not Stop and Reflect Now?
The questions above are great for reflection after you complete a project, but why not stop and ask your team these questions right now?
That way you can lead the way forward together to higher performance and an even more satisfying outcome together.