The One-Point Leadership Challenge

There’s one simple exercise I like to do in my coaching sessions with leaders. It doesn’t require a complicated assessment or some massive strategic plan. It starts with one name.

Write down the name of someone you lead. Then ask yourself, On a scale of 1–10, how well am I leading this person right now?

Don’t overthink it. Just be honest.

Maybe you give yourself a 7. Maybe it’s an 8. Whatever number you choose, ask yourself one more question: What would it take to raise that score by one point?

If you’re at a 7, what would move you to an 8? What could you do that would help that person feel more supported, encouraged, developed, or equipped to succeed?

That one question can completely change the way you lead.

Leadership can get complicated quickly. There are meetings, emails, projects, deadlines, decisions, problems, and people constantly needing your attention. Before long, we can feel like we need to fix everything at once.

But many times, better leadership doesn’t come from doing everything better. It comes from identifying the one thing that could make the biggest difference.

That’s what this exercise does. It cuts through the chaos and makes leadership personal. Instead of asking, “How am I doing as a leader?” you’re asking, “How am I doing at leading this person?”

That creates a much more honest reflection point.

Maybe they need more encouragement. Maybe they need clearer expectations or better feedback. Maybe they need you to listen more, give them greater responsibility, or finally have a conversation you’ve been putting off. The answer will be different for every person you lead.

And that’s the point.

Great leadership is not just about applying the same approach to everyone. It’s about understanding what each person needs from you to become their best.

Don’t worry about jumping from a 6 to a 10 overnight. Just ask what would move the relationship one point forward.

One conversation. One encouragement. One piece of feedback. One opportunity. One intentional act of support.

Leadership growth often happens through small actions done consistently over time. You don’t have to change everything today. You simply have to identify the next right move.

Of course, reflection without action doesn’t change much. Once you identify what would raise your score, do something about it. Put the conversation on your calendar. Send the message. Clarify the expectation. Give the feedback. Follow through.

The goal isn’t simply to recognize that you could lead someone better. The goal is to actually lead them better.

So take a few minutes and write down the names of the people you lead. Beside each name, give yourself a score from 1–10. Then ask:

What is one thing I could do to raise my leadership score with this person by one point?

Sometimes we make leadership much harder than it needs to be. A little honest reflection combined with one intentional action can dramatically change the way someone experiences your leadership.