WRITTEN BY: Tim Windsor & Amanda Macdougall
Self-assessment is a powerful tool for growth. It requires honesty and a willingness to examine strengths and areas for improvement. Effective leaders embrace this process not as a form of self-criticism but as a means to gain clarity and take purposeful action. By developing a deeper awareness of impact and effectiveness, leaders move beyond reacting to challenges and begin anticipating them.
The Uncomfortable Truth: Self-Assessment Is Hard
Let’s not sugarcoat this: self-assessment is uncomfortable. It forces you to admit that you’re not as perfect as you’d like to believe – and possibly way better than you give yourself credit for. It reveals blind spots that you’d rather ignore. But here’s the catch—avoiding self-assessment is the fast track to mediocrity. A study by Korn Ferry found that leaders with high self-awareness are 79% more effective than their peers. Think about that: almost 80% more effective simply because they’re willing to look at themselves in the mirror.
Yet, most leaders don’t do this. Why? Because it’s hard. It’s exhausting. It’s like willingly stepping into a boxing ring and taking a few punches from your shadow. But without this practice, you’re coasting. And coasting is nothing more than a slow descent into irrelevance.
Signs and Signals You Might Need to Self-Assess
If you’re not assessing yourself, someone else is—your team, peers, and customers. And they’re doing it silently, with every interaction, every decision, and every failure. Self-assessment allows you to get ahead of that narrative. It’s your opportunity to write your story instead of letting others write it for you.
Ask yourself these provocative questions:
- When was the last time I sat down to reflect on how my actions have impacted my goals and those of others?
- Where am I consistently falling short?
- What am I exceptional at, and how can I leverage it more?
- How are my decisions impacting those around me—positively and negatively?
If you don’t have answers to these questions on the tip of your tongue, it’s a sign that you need to stop and evaluate. Self-evaluation is a mindset: the willingness to regularly interrogate your motives, decisions, and actions.
According to a Harvard Business Review study, leaders who continuously self-assess are 24% more effective at navigating change and complexity. If you’re not self-assessing regularly, you’re not just stagnating—you’re regressing.
The Art of Customized Assessments
Self-assessment works best when approached from two angles: informal and formal. Informally, it’s the daily habit of asking tough questions. It’s taking a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and why.
Formally, it’s about creating a structured process. This could be a review where you sit down with a customized self-assessment tool. Tailored assessments—designed to align with your specific goals and challenges—provide insights generic tools simply can’t. A Bersin by Deloitte study found that leaders who use customized self-assessments experience a 22% greater alignment between their development and personal and professional goals.
Generic self-assessment tools are fine for average leaders. But if you’re reading this, you’re not aiming for average. You need a tool that’s as unique as your leadership challenges and current situation. For instance, your assessment should explore how effectively you communicate and build trust across virtual platforms if you’re managing a remote team. If you’re leading through a significant organizational change, your assessment should probe how well you foster resilience and adaptability within your team.
Challenges for the Brave
If you’re serious about becoming a better leader, here’s a challenge: conduct a “self-audit” every quarter. Dedicate time to reviewing your decisions, successes, and failures. Use a structured framework to guide you. Here’s a simple one to get you started:
- Strengths: What have you excelled at this quarter? Be specific.
- Weaknesses: Where have you consistently fallen short? Identify patterns.
- Impact: How have your actions affected your team, positively and negatively?
- Growth Opportunities: What skills or behaviours need immediate attention?
Don’t Just Assess—Act
The purpose of self-assessment isn’t to wallow in your weaknesses. It’s to identify actionable steps for improvement. If your assessment reveals poor communication skills, sign up for a course or seek a coach. If it highlights a tendency to micromanage, start delegating more. Self-assessment without action is just self-indulgence.
A Final Warning: Complacency Is Your Enemy
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re not engaging in rigorous self-assessment, you choose mediocrity. Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for those willing to do the hard, messy, and often painful growth work. So, step aside if you’re not ready to ask the hard questions and act on the answers. Leadership is too important to leave to the complacent.
But if you’re ready to leverage your strengths, confront your weaknesses, and relentlessly pursue growth, you’re on the path to greatness. Self-assessment is your gateway to that path. And it’s not just a practice—it’s a way of life.
