The Leadership Canaries

Are You Measuring the Right Leadership Indicators?

Most organizations measure leadership effectiveness using trailing indicators—performance metrics like revenue growth, retention rates, or customer satisfaction. The problem? These results are often influenced by multiple factors beyond leadership, such as market conditions, economic shifts, or even sheer luck.

Leadership is a long game—it takes time for a strong culture to show up in bottom-line results. But waiting years to know if your leadership investment is paying off isn’t a viable strategy.

The solution? Focus on leading indicators—early, observable signs that your leadership culture is taking root. These are your leadership canaries—small but powerful behaviors that tell you whether you’re winning as a leader today, not five years from now.

The Four Leadership Canaries

Just as miners once relied on canaries in coal mines to detect dangerous gases before they became lethal, leaders can use these four leading indicators to gauge the health of their leadership culture before performance metrics reveal the full impact.

1. Your Team Fears Disappointing You More Than Failing

Failure is inevitable. What matters is how your team responds to it. When a team member falls short, do they own their mistake with a genuine apology—or do they rush to make excuses and avoid consequences?

📌 Winning Indicator: If your team’s first response is, "I hate that I let you down," rather than "How much trouble am I in?"—you’re leading with trust, respect, and accountability.

2. They Want to Share Their Personal Wins With You

Servant leadership extends beyond work. If your team members seek your validation for accomplishments outside of work—whether it’s running a marathon, buying a first home, or their kid’s big achievement—it’s a sign they see you as more than just a boss.

📌 Winning Indicator: They tag you on social media, text you first, or share their personal victories with you because they know you care about them as a person, not just an employee.

3. They Start Mimicking Your Behavior

Leadership isn’t just about what you say—it’s about what you do. If you’re disciplined, they’ll start showing discipline. If you show up prepared, they will too. Culture isn’t what you preach; it’s what you model.

📌 Winning Indicator: Your habits—whether it’s prioritizing health, embracing lifelong learning, or showing up with consistency—start becoming their habits.

4. They Ask for Your Opinion on Life, Not Just Work

A sure sign of leadership influence is when team members seek your perspective on life decisions—not just career moves. When they trust you enough to ask about relationships, finances, or personal growth, they see you as a true mentor, not just a manager.

📌 Winning Indicator: If your team asks for advice beyond the workplace, they see you as a trusted leader whose wisdom extends into real life.

Action Steps

1️⃣ Build Relationships First: Before focusing on results, focus on people. Take time to understand your team’s goals, struggles, and aspirations beyond work. Trust precedes performance.

2️⃣ Model the Standards You Expect: Leadership is contagious. If you want accountability, be accountable. If you want a culture of growth, show them what growth looks like.

3️⃣ Create Psychological Safety: Your team will only take ownership if they feel safe to fail and learn. Praise ownership over excuses, and reward growth over perfection.

Becoming a No Limit Leader

KPIs, profit margins, and retention rates matter—but they only tell part of the story. Great leadership cultures don’t wait years for proof of impact. They pay attention to leading indicators that reveal whether their leadership efforts are working right now.

If you’re seeing these four leadership canaries in your team, rest assured—you’re not just managing. You’re leading. And that’s how you build a culture that lasts.

🚀 What’s one leadership canary you’ve noticed in your team? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear from you.

UNLEASH LEADERSHIP, UNLOCK POTENTIAL

-Sean Patton

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