The Leadership Edge Diagnostic

1. I genuinely believe my primary job as a leader is to make others more effective — not to be the most capable person in the room.

2. When I encounter a significant setback or failure in a leadership context, I process it as information — not as a reflection of my fundamental adequacy as a leader.

3. I actively seek out perspectives and feedback that challenge my current thinking — including from people who have less experience than me.

4. My values as a leader are visible to the people I lead — they are not just aspirations on a personal mission statement; they shape how I actually behave.

5. I can articulate a compelling vision for my team or organisation in a way that creates genuine commitment — not just compliance.

6. When I communicate a difficult message — a decision that will not be popular, bad news, or candid feedback — I do so with clarity and care, not avoidance or bluntness.

7. I listen deeply in conversations — not just waiting for my turn to speak, but genuinely trying to understand the other person's perspective before forming my response.

8. I have a measurable impact on the culture of the environments I lead — people who work with me become more effective, not just more compliant.

9. I give meaningful developmental feedback to the people I lead — not just performance feedback — and I do so regularly, not only during formal review cycles.

10. I delegate with genuine trust — I hand over authority alongside responsibility, and I do not micromanage or require people to check in at every step.

11. I can name a specific example from the last six months where someone I led significantly grew in their capability — and I played a deliberate role in that growth.

12. I build psychological safety in the teams I lead — people can take risks, make mistakes, and raise concerns without fear of how I will react.

13. Under high pressure or intense scrutiny, my leadership behaviour remains consistent with my values — I do not default to control, blame, or withdrawal.

14. I am genuinely sustainable as a leader — the way I work does not require a recovery period after every intense project, and my energy is reliably available to my team.

15. I am intentional about my own development as a leader — I regularly invest time and energy in becoming more effective, not just in performing my current role.

16. The people I lead would choose to follow me even if they did not have to — my influence is earned, not positional.