In my leadership coaching work with senior executives, I find that organizational leaders rarely have time to reflect on how they are doing.

Coaches are trained to ask clients powerful questions to help clients gain clarity and insight. As a trusted adviser to many of my clients they learn to ask essential questions of themselves.

How often do you take the time to ask yourself how you are doing as a leader?

One of the best ways to self-reflect is to periodically step back, observe and ask yourself several key questions. Some experts advise doing this every three to six months; much depends on the nature of your business.

How Are You Doing?

Ask yourself how you are doing and what you should be doing differently and be sure to answer truthfully. As simple as this may sound, many people are shocked by their answers to basic management and leadership questions.

Leaders should regularly ask themselves questions that target seven areas, according to Robert S. Kaplan, coauthor of The Balanced Scorecard. There are no right answers, of course. Some of these questions will resonate more than others.

Kaplan assures us that successful executives can consistently improve their performance and preempt serious business problems by stepping back and taking the time to interview themselves (What to Ask the Person in the Mirror, Harvard Business Review, December 2006).

Seven Leadership Checkpoints

The seven areas leaders should examine are:

1. Vision and Priorities

2. Managing Time

3. Feedback

4. Succession Planning

5. Evaluation and Alignment

6. Resilience Under Stress

7. Staying True to Yourself

Asking yourself questions regarding how you are doing in these seven areas can be critical to your success. The goal is to gain valuable insights into how you get better in your business. You can use this leadership checklist every few months for self-assessment.

How are you doing in each of these leadership areas?

Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a fully engaged leader. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged with the strategy and vision of the company.