The Five Questions I Return to Every Week as a Leader

The Five Questions I Return to Every Week as a Leader

Leadership isn’t about always having the answers. More often, it’s about learning how to ask the right questions of others, yes, but most importantly, of ourselves.

Each week, I carve out a few quiet minutes with my journal. It’s not a grand ritual. Just a moment to breathe, to check in, and to realign. Over time, I’ve come to rely on five simple questions. They're part compass, part mirror, guiding my week and gently illuminating where I’m in flow and where I might be off-centre.

Here they are:

1. What stood out most for me this week?A conversation, a moment, a decision or even just a gut feeling. What tugged at my awareness and asked to be seen?

2. 
   

3. What did I do, say or feel that felt aligned with who I want to be as a leader?Where did I show up with clarity, care or courage? It’s a reminder that leadership often lives in the small, conscious choices.

4. 
   

5. Where did I feel a bit off-centre or stretched?This one isn’t about judgement. It’s about noticing what unsettled me, what pulled me away from my grounded self.

6. 
   

7. What’s one thing I want to carry forward and one thing I want to release?Maybe it’s a mindset, a behaviour, a story I’m telling myself. What’s helping me lead well? What’s quietly holding me back?

8. 
   

9. What do I need, or need to remember to stay resourced right now?Energy. Boundaries. Connection. Inspiration. Rest. What’s calling for attention so I can lead from a fuller place?

10. 
    

These questions aren’t just prompts. They’re gentle acts of leadership in themselves, ways to stay connected to purpose, values, and self.

In our Collective Ascent program, we reflect with prompts like these each month. If you’re a leader navigating change, meaning, or complexity, this space is for you.→ Join us in Collective Ascent

Because leadership starts within—and wisdom grows when we make time to listen.