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Leaders and Reality Testing: Do Your Leaders See Themselves as They Really Are?
 When we are coaching or conducting leadership development sessions, we use a variety of self-assessment tools, including EQ-i 2.0, conflict styles testing, and values clarification. What we notice, however, is that some leaders consistently see themselves as high performing in all areas and not as they really are. When this happens, we are frequently called upon to deliver the bad news: their reality testing is off the mark.
“…a leader without true self-awareness is virtually uncoachable and unlikely to develop.”
In https://hbr.org/2017/03/how-to-tell-leaders-theyre-not-as-great-as-they-think-they-are, Professor Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, PhD, suggests a variety of tools to deliver the bad news. In our experience, unless someone is willing to do this, a leader without true self-awareness is virtually uncoachable and unlikely to develop.
What Should You Do?
Here are some suggestions to make sure that leaders see themselves accurately:
- Use data. Most successful leaders are driven by data so use 360 feedback or employee engagement surveys to reflect back to leaders how they are seen. Make sure that employees feel safe offering honest assessments by using anonymous tools. Sometimes leaders want to dismiss these results, but an effective coach will point out that they still have a problem. Either the data is correct or, if it is incorrect, they have a perception problem. Their followers do not perceive them the way they would like to be perceived and they need to work on that issue.
- Appeal to their own values and motivators. If you are coaching or assessing a leader who is motivated by power, for example, remind them that improving certain skills has been shown to help them outperform their competitors.
- Use an outside coach. Someone from outside the organization may be able to confront people in a way that insiders cannot.
- Make giving and receiving feedback a part of the organizational culture. Institute systems so that giving suggestions for improvement is routine for everyone and not something to be feared as an unusual event.
- Dig deeper. Leaders who do not want to admit flaws may be driven by fear of how they will be perceived if they make mistakes. Help them see that mistakes are for learning, all leaders make mistakes, and research has shown that the best leaders are humble and honest in the face of missteps.
 Did You Know
All of our coaching and assessments include proven ways to challenge leaders.
Call or write us at: 303-216-1020 or Lynne@workplacesthatwork.com
Learn more about our training offerings and check out our team members at:
Be sure to read Lynne’s books on Affirmative Action and Sexual Harassment.
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November 27, 2017
