3 Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Choosing To Lead

Leadership is an honor. It’s often a title or role that gets bestowed upon us without our choosing to lead.

But to lead effectively, we must choose to lead and run with the title given to us. This can be daunting and we’ll have questions.

In fact, I think there are 3 questions we must ask ourselves before choosing to lead.

Image by Alexander Henning Drachmann

These 3 questions will make a huge difference once you’ve made the choice.

You’ll have a firm foundation for leading. You’ll have answers for leading. You’ll have a reason for leading.

Question #1: The first question you MUST ask yourself is WHY do I want to lead?

Simon Sinek is a big proponent of starting with WHY. When you’ve settled on a WHY, your WHY will guide and direct you.

You can look back to the WHY, it will remind you of the choice. You will come back to the beginning and regain your focus. You will remember what you’re leading for.

Question #2: Do I have all the knowledge I need to lead?

You probably won’t like the answer to this question but it’s good to know the truth. 9 times out of 10 the answer will be No, I don’t have all the knowledge I need to lead. However, I do have enough knowledge to lead.

I can see 2-3 steps further than my follower Bill. He needs the knowledge I can share with him to help him advance to the next level.

Knowing you don’t have, and don’t need to have, all the answers will be a relief to you. Also, knowing that you know more than someone will help you focus on ways to help that person.

Don’t let the feeling you don’t have enough knowledge derail you from leading those you can.

Question #3: How can I pass the leadership baton to the next generation?

While you may be a beginning leader, it never hurts to begin with the end in mind. This means creating a succession plan.

Great leaders know they will not be around forever. There will be a time they have to step aside and allow another leader to take their place.

If you begin with this end in mind, you can begin looking for the next generation leader who will be able to take your place.

These are but 3 questions you must ask yourself before you begin leading. They’re not the only questions but they’ll get you started.

Remember, ask yourself why. Ask yourself what knowledge you have. And ask yourself who can I build up in my place.

Question: What other questions should a young leader ask before stepping into the role of a leader? Share this important question in the comment section below.