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Leadership Feedback Questions: Assessing and Supporting Leaders - Part I

In-depth feedback is a powerful tool for assessing and enhancing managerial performance. Organizations can develop a well-rounded perspective on leadership strengths, areas needing improvement, and growth opportunities by collecting insights from multiple sources —including self-assessments, peers, supervisors, and team members.

This article presents a set of detailed feedback questions customized for managers and emerging leaders. The questions are categorized into traditional performance assessments and competency-based evaluations.

Traditional Performance Assessment Questions for Managers

This comprehensive list of feedback questions gives you a broad perspective on managerial performance, including self-assessment and team feedback.

These questions suit managers at all levels, from team leaders to senior executives.

Managers’ Self-Assessment Questions

Self-assessment is critical for performance evaluation. It allows managers to evaluate their abilities, achievements, and areas for improvement. These questions encourage introspection and self-awareness, which are essential traits for effective leadership.

Assessment Questions

On a scale of 1 to 5

  • How would you rate your ability to handle pressure? (1 = very weak; 5 = very well).
  • How effective do you consider yourself as a manager? (1 = not effective; 5 = highly effective).
  • How satisfied are you with your team's performance? (1 = not satisfied; 5 = very satisfied).
  • How well do you manage your workload? (1 = often struggle; 5 = manage very well).
  • How effectively do you align team goals with company objectives? (1 = rarely aligned; 5 = consistently aligned).

Qualitative Questions

  • What are your most significant achievements in the past year?
  • What are your top three goals for the upcoming year?
  • How do you ensure continuous improvement in your managerial practices?
  • How do you handle feedback from your team members?
  • What do your team members appreciate most about you?
  • In which areas would you like to delegate more responsibilities to your team?
  • In which areas would you like to delegate less?
  • How can you better balance your focus between short-term tasks and long-term goals?

Peer’s Feedback Questions to Assess Managers

Peers provide valuable insights into a manager's ability to collaborate, communicate, and create a positive work environment. These questions collect perspectives from fellow managers who work closely with the manager being evaluated.

Assessment Questions

On a scale of 1 to 5:

  • How well does the manager embody company values? (1 = rarely embodies; 5 = consistently embodies).
  • How effectively does the manager resolve conflicts? (1 = struggles with conflict; 5 = handles conflicts effectively and fairly).
  • How willing is the manager to assist others? (1 = rarely helps; 5 = always helps).
  • How well does the manager create a positive work environment? (1 = rarely encourages positivity; 5 = consistently fosters positivity).

Qualitative Questions

  • What role has this manager played in the department's success?
  • What areas should this manager focus on to improve their leadership?
  • How successful has this manager handled organizational changes?
  • How has this manager most significantly helped to achieve the company's goals?
  • Can you provide an example of a situation where this manager successfully overcame a challenge?
  • What should this manager do to improve their performance?
  • How does this manager help to create a positive work environment?
  • What do you suggest to improve this manager's leadership style?

Superiors’ Feedback Questions to Assess Managers

Superiors feedback is crucial for understanding how well a manager aligns with the organization's goals and expectations. These questions focus on leadership effectiveness, goal achievement, and adaptability to change.

Assessment Questions

On a scale of 1 to 5

  • How effectively does the manager lead by example? (1 = rarely leads by example; 5 = consistently leads by example).
  • How successful is the manager in meeting departmental goals? (1 = rarely meets goals; 5 = consistently meets goals).
  • How well does the manager manage their team? (1 = struggles with management; 5 = excels in management).
  • How adaptable is the manager to changes in the workplace? (1 = rarely adapts; 5 = constantly adapts).

Qualitative Questions

  • What are the manager's key strengths?
  • What areas should this manager improve?
  • How does this manager handle constructive feedback?
  • What distinguishes this manager from others within the organization?
  • How well does the manager adapt to changing priorities and business objectives?

Team Members’ Feedback Questions

Team members can provide unique perspectives on managers' abilities to communicate, motivate, and support professional development. Use these questions to gather feedback from those who work directly under the managers' supervision.

Assessment Questions

On a scale of 1 to 5

  • How clearly does the manager communicate expectations? (1 = often unclear; 5 = always clear).
  • How responsive is the manager to team needs? (1 = frequently unresponsive; 5 = consistently responsive).
  • How well does the manager motivate the team? (1 = rarely inspires; 5 = constantly motivates).
  • How effective are the manager's problem-solving skills? (1 = often struggles; 5 = resolves issues effectively).
  • How supportive is the manager of team members' professional development? (1 = minimal support; 5 = substantial support).
  • How accessible is the manager for communication? (1 = rarely available; 5 = always open for discussion).
  • How fair is the manager in conducting performance evaluations? (1 = often unfair; 5 = consistently fair).

Qualitative Questions

  • How successful is this manager in resolving conflicts?
  • How much does this manager hear your concerns and respond to them?
  • How does this manager support your professional development?
  • How does this manager motivate you to achieve your best performance?
  • How does this manager handle the team's workload distribution?
  • What adjustments could strengthen your professional rapport with this manager?
  • What is one thing this manager could do differently to improve team dynamics?
  • What is one thing this manager should start doing?
  • What is one thing this manager should continue doing?
  • What is one thing this manager should stop doing?

 Feedback Questions

Comprehensive Competency-Based Feedback Questions for Managers

Competency-based feedback emphasizes specific and essential leadership competencies for managerial success. This section includes questions related to communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, vision and strategic thinking, team management, and client focus. Use the leadership competency framework to select relevant competencies for leadership assessments.

Self-Assessment Competency-Based Questions

Self-review questions encourage managers to assess their competency in key leadership competencies. These questions help managers identify their strengths and areas for development in important competencies.

Competency

Self-Assessment

Communication

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how effectively do you communicate with your team? (1 = rarely effective; 5 = consistently effective)
  • Describe a situation where you successfully clarified a complex idea to your team.

Emotional Intelligence

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how well do you manage and understand your emotions and those of others? (1 = low EQ; 5 = high EQ)
  • Describe a situation where your emotional intelligence helped resolve a workplace issue.

Decision-Making

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your decision-making skills? (1 = rarely effective; 5 = consistently effective)
  • Share an example of a difficult decision you made and its outcomes.

Vision and Strategic Thinking

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how innovative are you in expressing strategic ideas? (1 = rarely innovative; 5 = consistently innovative)
  • Describe a strategic initiative you participated in and its impact.

Team Management

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how effective are you in managing team dynamics and fostering collaboration? (1 = rarely effective; 5 = consistently effective)
  • Describe a specific situation where you successfully managed a team conflict.

Client Focus

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how well do you understand and meet client needs? (1 = rarely understands; 5 = consistently understands)
  • Describe a situation where you went above and beyond to satisfy a customer.

 

Peer Competency-Based Assessment Questions

Peers provide valuable feedback on the manager’s competencies in areas such as communication and emotional intelligence. These questions gather insights regarding peers' opinions about the manager.

Competency

Peer Feedback

Communication

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how effective are the manager's communication skills? (1 = rarely effective; 5 = consistently effective)
  • Provide an example of the manager's skill in explaining important information clearly.

Emotional Intelligence

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how empathetic and understanding is this manager towards others? (1 = rarely empathetic; 5 = consistently empathetic and understanding)
  • Describe a situation where the manager effectively demonstrated emotional intelligence.

Decision-Making

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how strong are the manager's decision-making skills? (1 = struggle with decision-making; 5 = make informed and timely decisions)
  • Share an example of a sound decision made by this manager.

Vision and Strategic Thinking

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how well does the manager align team goals with the company's vision? (1 = struggle with alignment; 5 = consistently aligns)
  • Provide an example of the manager's strategic thinking skills.

Team Management

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how supportive is the manager in developing team members? (1 = minimal support; 5 = very supportive)
  • Provide an example of how the manager fosters a collaborative work environment.

Client Focus

  • On a scale of 1 to 5, how effectively does this manager prioritize addressing client concerns? (1 = struggle to focus on the client; 5 = skilled at prioritizing client concerns)
  • Provide an example of the manager's success in focusing on client satisfaction.

In Conclusion

This part presented a set of leadership feedback questions, and Part II will provide the remaining questions.

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