In medicine, a diagnosis is “the identification of the nature of an illness by examining the symptoms.” What if we applied that same principle to leadership?
Leadership isn’t static. The environment changes. The workplace evolves. The workforce transforms. Yet too often, leaders cling to a rigid, one-size-fits-most approach. What worked in your last role—or even last year—might not work today. That’s why good leaders get checkups.
Check the Leadership Forecast
Think of it like checking the weather. What’s the climate in your organization? Cloudy with a chance of burnout? High winds of conflict? A storm of low morale, accountability gaps, or policy-practice disconnects?
If you’re feeling off, frustrated, or ineffective, you might be experiencing what I call “acute leadership illness.” It’s not a clinical condition, but it sure feels real. Symptoms include:
- Reverting to the hammer-and-nail approach
- Questioning your leadership style or your team’s followership
- Feeling defensive about your competence or credibility
- Wondering, “Why isn’t this working anymore?”
It’s time for a checkup.
Emotional Intelligence: Has Yours Shifted?
Environmental stressors can impact your emotional intelligence. Self-assessment tools can help you recalibrate. But don’t stop there—talk to a mentor. Not someone who flatters you, but someone who tells it like it is. Someone you’re willing to hear it from.
Are You Still Using the Right Tools?
We all have our go-to leadership tools. But when we rely too heavily on what’s familiar, we risk missing better solutions. If your team is telling you there’s a drill that works better than your trusty screwdriver, are you listening?
Leadership checkups help us reflect: Are we adapting, or just defaulting?
Leadership at Every Level
If we expect innovation from our teams, we must model it ourselves. Empower your people to lead in their lanes. Encourage calculated risks. Create space for ownership. Then ask yourself: Am I doing the same?
And if you’ve been “infected” with acute leadership illness, own it. Reset. Inoculate. Build a culture where your team can respectfully call you out when needed. That’s not weakness—it’s strength.
From Short-Term Wins to Long-Term Legacy
Leadership isn’t about being irreplaceable. It’s about being impactful. Do you want to be remembered as the one no one could replace—or the one who empowered others to surpass you?
Legacy is built on empowerment, not ego. It’s measured by the culture you leave behind, not the trophies you take with you.
Your Leadership R&D Lab
Think of leadership checkups as your personal research and development lab. When something doesn’t go as planned, ask: “Why didn’t we get the outcome we expected?” instead of “Why didn’t I?”
That shift from “I” to “we” unlocks collaboration, creativity, and confidence. You still hold the authority—but now you have more options, more insight, and more buy-in.
Stay Curious, Stay Current
The climate is always changing—technology, customer needs, team dynamics. Your core leadership principles still matter, but they must evolve. Keep learning. Refresh your tools. Revisit the ones you rarely use. And most importantly, stay self-aware.
Your Leadership Checkup Checklist:
- Reflect on your emotional intelligence
- Seek honest feedback from mentors
- Reevaluate your leadership tools
- Empower innovation at every level
- Shift from short-term wins to long-term culture
- Ask “we” questions, not just “I” questions
- Stay open to change, growth, and recalibration
Leadership isn’t a destination—it’s a lifelong practice. So ask yourself: When was your last checkup?
What’s your diagnosis?