Self-Assessment Benefits for Leaders and Leadership Growth

Introduction

People are influenced by leaders. Yet leaders cannot effectively influence others without first understanding why people behave as they do. Successful and effective leaders are, therefore, students of human behavior. Good leaders not only try to understand the personalities and psychology of their subordinates — they also consistently evaluate and assess themselves in order to remain productive (Clawson 2001). To date, no studies have produced a clear profile of an ideal leader, whether in terms of authoritative style, distinctive characteristics, or personality traits. This makes it clear that authentic leaders know who they are. They do not imitate or try to become replicas of others. Instead, they "demonstrate a passion for their purpose, practice their values consistently, and lead with their hearts as well as their heads" (George, Sims, McLean & Mayer 2007). All of us possess the capacity to motivate and empower others; however, one must commit to growth and development on both a personal and professional level (George, Sims, McLean & Mayer 2007).

What Is Self-Assessment?

Self-assessment is the process that provides an individual with the opportunity to discover his or her strengths, weaknesses, and aspects of personality that require improvement (Brereton 1996). An insightful assessment helps leaders to celebrate their accomplishments, weigh their skills and talents, use their strengths more effectively, and continue to set and reach meaningful goals. A self-reflective leader integrates this practice into both professional and personal life. Through the process of self-assessment, he or she identifies strengths and weaknesses in professional practice (Wagner 2006).

Benefits of Self-Assessment for Leaders

Self-reflective practices enable leaders and managers to recognize patterns in their performance and map out the next steps in their professional development. This process builds confidence, which in turn enables leaders to thoughtfully evaluate and improve their performance to better meet the diverse needs of their organizations. Leaders who are accustomed to self-assessment work with greater confidence and develop unique visions and new directions for themselves and their organizations. They seek to acquire additional skills and continuously work toward becoming more effective. In short, their primary concern is understanding where they are headed in their careers (Wagner 2006).

Self-assessment benefits leaders in a number of important ways. When a leader evaluates and reviews his or her performance — gathering data and information from multiple sources — he or she gains an accurate and detailed picture of developed skills and abilities. This, in turn, illuminates areas for continued growth and development. Self-assessment helps leaders improve their communication skills so they can deliver clear, concise, and appropriate information to staff. We are often our own harshest critics, and many times we undervalue our accomplishments and progress. Self-assessment practice leads to an individualized, clear professional development plan. It also supports progress through the recognition of genuine strengths. When leaders are aware of their knowledge and skill strengths, they apply them more proficiently (Wagner 2006).

Conclusion

It is the responsibility of leaders to develop their own careers, while the organization provides the enabling resources (London 2002). Through self-assessment and self-awareness, leaders become equipped to set goals and correct their leadership deficiencies by becoming more original, adaptable, and flexible (Thomas 2006). In this way, individual self-development and organizational success are deeply connected — each reinforcing the other in a continuous cycle of growth.