As 2019 comes to a close and performance review season ramps up, it’s a natural time to reflect on your team’s performance throughout the year. This is always a time-consuming process that few people enjoy, but can be effective when the right questions are asked. Particularly for leaders, the performance review process often focuses more on the business outcomes and goals than key aspects of people and culture. Here are 20 questions about leadership effectiveness and end-of-year reflection to guide your own self-review as a leader:

As 2019 comes to a close and performance review season ramps up, it’s a natural time to reflect on your team’s performance throughout the year. This is always a time-consuming process that few people enjoy, but can be effective when the right questions are asked. Particularly for leaders, the performance review process often focuses more on the business outcomes and goals than key aspects of people and culture. Here are some end-of-year reflections on leadership effectiveness and questions to guide your own self-review as a leader:

1)            What opportunities did I create for others to grow?

2)            How did I build trust this year?

3)            What did I delegate that created a growth opportunity for a team member?

4)            How often did I solicit (and absorb) feedback from others?

5)            When did I display my commitment to transparency?

6)            How did I hold myself accountable?

7)            What was the hardest decision I made this year? Did I wait too long to make it? In retrospect, was it the right decision?

8)            What was the best coaching advice I gave someone? Where did I fail to coach effectively (or at all)?

9)            How did I help others achieve their goals?

10)         Who did I mentor this year and did I accelerate their path to becoming an effective leader?

11)         Of the organization’s core values, which one did I model the most? Which one did I model the least?

12)         If I could change one decision I made this year, what would it be?

13)         How did I facilitate a positive response to change in the organization?

14)         What was the frequency of my communication with the team?

15)         Did I create and communicate a vision that inspired others?

16)         Was my communication clear and effective?

17)         Did I show empathy and care for the personal well-being of my team?

18)         Did I demonstrate healthy work-life behaviors and bring my best self to work every day?

19)         Are my team members more effective today than they were a year ago?

20)         Are my team members happier today than they were a year ago?

The impact you have as a leader should be measured by more than the performance outcomes of your individual team members. Take time to think through the impact you made on each person, their professional development, and career progression. Celebrate your successes and make plans for an even better 2020.