Mid-year self-reflection for strong leadership

Posted byedstillmanPosted inExpert perspectives, Insights from Vistage

Are you willing to do a little self-reflection? Reflect on these 9 questions and see what the questions reveal about yourself. What changes are you willing to do between now and the end of 2021 to make you a better leader?

Not sure where to start? Analyzing our individual habits and behaviors is a good way to open the door for some serious reflection. This is something I am comfortable in guiding CEOs into the right self-reflection for their personal and professional needs.


“Do you have any habits that hold you back from being the leader you’d like to be?”

High-performing leaders have to push themselves to look at inward on a regular basis. From “stop-doing” lists and fire fighting to goal-setting and talent planning, these nine question are a good place to dig in when leadership is feeling stuck or focus feels misplaced.

9 powerful questions coaches ask CEOs

Asking a tough question can be — tough. But not for Vistage Chairs Ken Proctor and Wally Schmader. Over their combined 12 years of coaching Vistage high-performing CEOs, they have honed the craft of asking great business coaching questions. They’ve come to know what makes executive leaders tick, and with insightful questions they reach the core of a CEO’s values, discover their blind spots, and design strategies to transcend personal and business challenges.

In this post, Ken and Wally share questions they ask CEOs who want the opportunity to join a Vistage peer advisory group. For busy CEOs who are under constant pressure, the 1-1 business coaching time spent with Ken or Wally becomes a meaningful moment of reflection. These questions are the beginning of a CEO’s journey toward stronger decision-making and more effective leadership development.

1. “Are you running your company or leading it?”

2. “Are you doing more fire-fighting or fire prevention in your business?”

6. “Think about the last direct report who left the company. What percent of that employee’s departure are you willing to own?”

9. “It’s the last day of the year. What would have made this year truly meaningful for you — personally and professionally?”

There are several helpful discussions we can have around just one of these questions. Pick one, and let’s talk.

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Published by edstillman

I grew up in Carlsbad, north San Diego County, lost my dad as a teenager, went into the USAF for four years and hired on with 3M in 1969. Received my AA from Santa Barbara City College, BA and Masters from Redlands University and after 33 plus years, I retired from 3M in 2002. As I look back on my life, I have been creating myself and developing my skill sets to be a business coach and a Vistage Chair. I am president of SEOT, a "personal improvement" consulting firm spending most of my time working with Central Texas executives running small to medium size for-profit companies who are focusing on improving their profitability greater than their competition. My area of interest is assisting senior executives in creating a better balance between business commitments and personal relationships. I also facilatate three leadership labs each consisting of a dozen owners, presidents and CEOs. We meet monthly both in a group setting as well as in a 1-to-1 coaching session. Our focus is to sharpen each others' skills in becoming better leaders, making better decisions and taking ourselves and companies to that next level. Who are we? My members are experienced top executives who recognize that they don’t have all the answers and who actively seek the company of successful peers—both to give and receive insights and ideas. My members mine the 200 plus years of chief executive experience that comes together in our monthly meetings and members are eager to offer their own experience and insights in the process. As a group, we spend our time exploring topics members can't discuss anywhere else. My members have many other places where they can engage in idle, "cocktail party" chatter. Our mission is to provide the setting for discussing the "undiscussable." Where or who can you go to for confidential, honest feedback to assist you in minimizing your personal "Worry List"?

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  1. Pingback: So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur? Change Your Mindset for Business Success – Austin Vistage | Ed Stillman

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