Are You a Good Leader? 5 Simple Tests

No matter how long you’ve been leading, there’s a good chance that at some point along the way you’ve wondered – Am I a good leader?

Maybe you’re not even sure you’re a leader. If that’s you, check out 9 Signs You’re a Leader by Joe Lalonde or Michael Hyatt’s 12 Ways to Know if You are a Leader.

And if you’ve ever wondered if you’re a GOOD leader, here are 5 simple tests that may help you…

1. The Follow Test

A few months ago, our family was spending a lazy Saturday together in Fort Worth. As we were finishing up lunch in a hamburger joint, I noticed that our son, Andrew was intently watching his sister, Madison.

I watched for a few more moments, then I asked her, Did you know you are a leader? She immediately responded, Yes!

I followed up with – Are you a GOOD leader? She was less emphatic – I don’t know.

Sensing her hesitation, I asked – What is a good leader? She paused for a second then replied – Well, a good leader first has to do what they’re told.

Not at all what I expected. But she’s right –

[Tweet “To lead, you must first follow.”]

Let’s face it – that’s not the first time you’ve read that. But when’s the last time you evaluated how well you follow?

How do you respond to these Follow Test questions:

1. How long has it been since you handed the reins to someone else to lead and you served their team?
2. Do you lead most of the meetings you attend?
3. How often do you speak or express your opinion in meetings?
4. How do you respond when a team member challenges your position?

2. The Vision Test

Many leaders have a vision statement somewhere in a file or they’ve posted it on a conference room wall. Yet, unfortunately, these vision statements seldom serve as an energizing guide toward exponential growth and remarkable success for the organization.

A vision is energizing. It’s enlivening. Vision is the guiding motivation for all great human efforts. You get that!

Most likely, your problem is not vision itself but rather how to get focused and stay focused on the vision.

Try these Vision Test questions:

1. Does your team know your vision? Can they explain it to you succinctly?
2. Were they part of the vision development process?
3. When is the last time you clearly communicated the vision?
4. Does every system, process, and team member in your organization reflect the core components of the vision?

If you haven’t downloaded it yet, pick up your copy of my book, Creating Your Business Vision. When you subscribe to my updates, it’s a free download for just a few more weeks. So get it before you have to pay for it!

3. The Criticism Test

Dan Rockwell once said:

[Tweet “Criticism is something you can avoid – by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”]

Is that what you really want?

Over the years I have benefited significantly from criticism. OK, that sounds weird. But I am a better dad, a better husband, a better professional, a better leader… because of my interaction with critics. In fact, I recently wrote about 6 Things I Learned From Critics.

Here’s the deal – Some critics should be heard, many should not.

It’s painful to be criticized. But occasionally my pain is compounded by the fact that I needed the criticism – because it addresses an area where I need to grow.

Yes, criticism hurts. But it often presents an opportunity to grow. So, when faced with criticism, let it come – and let it go.

How would you answer these Criticism Test questions:

1. When’s the last time you were criticized? (Someone let me have it on Sunday – while I was on vacation!)
2. How did you respond?
3. Does some criticism feel personal to you?
4. How has criticism improved your leadership?

4. The Team Test

In his best-selling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins found that leaders who HAVE to continually manage a team member have made a hiring mistake. And if you CHOOSE to continue to manage team members, your organization made a hiring mistake – when they hired you.

Your organization simply cannot grow to reach its full potential if you are not developing your team members to work and lead with passionate freedom.

Try these Team Test questions:

1. Can your team articulate to you what is expected? Ask them.
2. Is your team making regular progress in the primary areas of the organizational vision?
3. Are they aware of the progress they are making? When’s the last time you told them?
4. Do they think together? Plan together? Create together? Innovate together? Serve together?

5. The Integrity Test

Like it or not, your organization and your colleagues are a reflection of your leadership. Consequently, if honesty and ethical behavior are core convictions for you, your team will exhibit them also.

Try these Integrity Test questions:

1. Do you tell the truth? – we’re talking about the real truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
2. What do you fear being exposed?
3. Would you write that again if you knew everyone involved would read it?
4. Would you say that again if you knew everyone involved would hear it?

Now, you might be thinking, these simple assessments sound boring  or weak.

Our society says leadership is about “getting”. Most leaders think leadership is about winning.

It’s not.

Leadership is about preparation. Leadership is about regular evaluation – personal evaluation.

Winning is the byproduct of intense and consistent preparation and evaluation.

If you want to win at life, work, and leadership, it will only happen through intentional preparation and evaluation.