9. Are you protecting what empowers you?
As you tackle the curve, the leadership process will drain you quickly if you don’t protect what energizes you.
It might be family time, physical exercise, spiritual growth — whatever it is for you, fiercely defend it or you’ll burn out before your team is done with the donuts you bought them.
10. Are you leaving a margin for what you don’t know?
As Catalyst CEO Brad Lomenick put it in his recent post, Make Time for Margins, “Margin in our lives overall creates options. Options to pursue dreams, think, pray, relax, meditate, process, grow and ultimately live life more fully.”
Expect the unexpected. Plan for it. And be happier because of it.
11. Where are you going?
Simple question — or at least we’d like to think it should be. But do you know your mission and can you share it easily? Is it simple enough for your team to spread and repeat it.
As Andy Stanley asked at Catalyst Atlanta last fall, does everyone on your team know what a win is?
12. How will my team know that I care?
The tried adage is also true — people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Be intentional about showing them your heart.
It’s especially easy for new leaders to focus instead on efficiency as a measure of success. Better to take a page from the order of Disney’s guest service priorities: safety, courtesy, show and then efficiency.
Let people be your bottom line.
What questions would you suggest new leaders ask when starting a new position?
