Here are 20 questions that you might want to ask if you’re ever in front of a leader, or you might want to ask of yourself just to get you thinking…
- Can you name a person who has had a tremendous impact on you as a leader? Maybe some one who has been a mentor to you? Why and how did this person impact your life?
- What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?
- As an organization gets larger there can be a tendency for the “institution” to dampen the “inspiration.” How do you keep this from happening?
- How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?
- Where do the great ideas come from in your organization?
- Which is most important to your organization—mission, core values or vision?
- How do you or other leaders in your organization communicate the “core values”?
- How do you encourage others in your organization to communicate the “core values”?
- Do you set aside specific times to cast vision to your employees and other leaders?
- How do you ensure the your organization and its activities are aligned with your “core values”?
- How do you help a new employee understand the culture of your organization?
- When faced with two equally-qualified candidates, how do you determine whom to hire?
- What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?
- What is the biggest challenge facing leaders today?
- What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?
- What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?
- Can you explain the impact, if any, that social networking and Web 2.0 has made on your organization or you personally?
- What are a few resources you would recommend to someone looking to gain insight into becoming a better leader?
- What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
- What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?
