Leadership Style Self-Assessment

A finance director promoted six months ago after 12 years as a senior manager. Reports feeling overwhelmed by executive team meetings and questions whether they belong at this level. Requested coaching to 'get more confident in leadership situations.'

Frame this as a baseline check, not a confidence assessment. 'Before we work on executive presence, let's see where you're starting from across the fundamentals.' Expect resistance to the self-esteem scale - many new executives think admitting low self-worth disqualifies them from leadership. Normalize it: 'Most people in role transitions have mixed ratings here.'

Speed of completion on self-esteem and assertiveness scales. If they hover for more than 30 seconds on either, they're managing their image rather than reporting their experience. Watch for clustering - all marks in the middle suggests they're avoiding honest assessment of both strengths and struggles.

Start with the scales they marked fastest - those are the most honest data points. Then ask: 'Which rating would your team be most surprised by?' This moves from self-perception to external reality. The gap between how they see themselves and how others see them often explains the imposter syndrome pattern.

VP of Sales who exceeded targets three years running but shows clear burnout symptoms - cancelled meetings, delayed responses, team complaints about availability. Insists they just need better systems and delegation strategies.

Present as a calibration tool, not a wellness check. 'You're saying the issue is systems, but let's get a read on the full picture first. Sometimes what looks like a process problem has other factors.' Expect them to rate everything in the moderate-to-high range. Don't challenge the ratings during completion - the pattern will speak for itself.

Look for disconnect between their ratings and their presentation. If they mark 'calm' and 'healthy lifestyle' as moderate or high while displaying obvious stress indicators, they're either disconnected from their physical state or performing competence. Note which scale takes longest - that's where the real struggle lives.

Start with the highest rating and ask for evidence: 'You marked time management as organized. Walk me through yesterday.' The specifics will reveal the gap between self-perception and reality. Then move to: 'What would need to change for you to move one of these ratings down honestly?'

Recently promoted team lead in software development with ADHD diagnosis. Excelled as individual contributor but now struggles with meeting schedules, project tracking, and team check-ins. Believes they need better organizational systems.

Frame as a snapshot before building systems: 'Let's see where you are across the basics before we design your management approach.' The time management and life stressors scales will likely trigger shame about ADHD symptoms. Normalize this upfront: 'These scales capture where you are now, not where you should be. ADHD brains work differently - we'll use this data to build systems that work with your wiring, not against it.'

The 30-second rule may not work for ADHD clients - they may hyperfocus on getting the 'right' answer or rush through without processing. Watch for extreme ratings on time management (either very low from shame or artificially high from masking). Note if they mark calmness as low but can't articulate specific stressors.

Start with their strongest rating and ask what makes that area work: 'You marked assertiveness as high. What does that look like day-to-day?' Then contrast with their lowest rating: 'Time management is marked low. What happens in your brain when you try to organize?' This helps separate ADHD-related challenges from learnable management skills.

Operations director at a traditional manufacturing company acquired by a tech startup. New parent company emphasizes collaboration and psychological safety, but client's directive management style is creating friction. Thinks the problem is that employees need to adapt faster.

Position as a culture-fit diagnostic: 'Before we work on change management, let's see how your current approach maps to what the new culture requires.' They'll likely rate assertiveness high and see it as a strength. Don't correct this during the tool - let the data create the conversation about when assertiveness becomes a liability.

Watch for high ratings on assertiveness and time management paired with lower ratings on calmness. This pattern often indicates someone who gets results through control and urgency. Note if they struggle with the happiness scale - many traditional managers haven't considered emotional state as relevant to leadership effectiveness.

Start with their assertiveness rating: 'You marked this as high. Give me an example from this week.' Then ask: 'How do you think your team would rate your assertiveness?' The gap between self-perception and team experience often explains the culture clash. Follow with: 'What would assertiveness look like in the new culture?'