5 Questions Smart Leaders Can Ask Themselves This Summer

Forbes

15 hours ago

Summer gives leaders a rare chance to reset before year-end pressures build.
As we move deeper into the summer, leaders have a rare window of opportunity for rest—and for a strategic reset before the rush to year-end begins. With continued uncertainty all around us (economic volatility, employee churn, workplace tensions)—and the widening gap between human needs and business outcomes cited in Deloitte's '2025 Global Human Capital Trends'—the most effective leaders will galvanize their employees with intention and purpose.
An effective reset hinges on asking yourself the right questions to unlock clarity and reveal the path forward. Block off at least three uninterrupted hours this summer to reflect on these perspective-shifting questions. This kind of deeper thinking pulls you out of the day-to-day execution so you can see the bigger picture.
Use these questions to guide your way forward—whether you're in a season of momentum or managing through messiness.
1. What Am I Optimizing For Right Now?
Start here to ground yourself. This question is especially helpful if your energy feels scattered or you're tasked with nebulous goals or shifting targets. Are you stuck in reaction mode—or making intentional choices about where to focus your efforts?
For leaders in VUCA environments (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous), this can illuminate unconscious tradeoffs you've been making under pressure—and help you recalibrate.
2. Where Am I Most Out Of Alignment?
Misalignment erodes trust and waters down execution, especially under stress. Are you making short-term decisions that conflict with your long-term direction? Is prioritizing one area creating unintended blind spots in another? Alignment doesn't require perfection, but it does demand clarity, consistency and conviction.
When actions and stated priorities diverge, at best, teams lose traction. At worst, key projects and decisions will misfire. Compounded over time, misalignment puts performance and results at risk. Use this question to reset your focus and bring your leadership approach back into alignment with what matters most.
3. What's My Team Not Telling Me—But Hoping I'll Notice?
This question invites you to tune into the quieter signals around you—especially if you've been in firefighting mode or laser-focused on delivering results. In divided or exhausted workplaces, needs may go unspoken, but they will have consequences nonetheless.
If your team seems disengaged, mistakes will be made, productivity will decrease and organizational outcomes will suffer. What is quietly being asked of you? And what is still possible under the circumstances?
4. What Have I Tolerated For Too Long?
This question is as confronting as it is illuminating. When pressure is high, some issues inevitably will slide. Now is the time to get clear: Where are the breakdowns and points of friction within your team or company? What hard conversation, decision or realignment is overdue?
Unchecked dysfunction quickly becomes a cultural norm in workplaces. A summer reset is your chance to course-correct before Q3 and Q4 bring new and added challenges.
5. Where Do I Want To Be, Come December?
This final question gets to the heart of your leadership to ensure you are steering your team in the right direction. What would a successful close to this year look like? Where do you want yourself, your team and your company to stand by year-end?
Only with that vision in mind can you reverse-engineer a plan to get you there.
Questions For Leaders When The Stakes Are Higher
If you're a leader who's holding more complexity—navigating shifting power dynamics, polarized teams or constant scrutiny—these three deeper questions may be even more valuable.
Adaptability is a non-negotiable in 2025. Last year's approaches will not meet this year's realities. The leaders who prevail are the ones who fully embrace their role as the fulcrum between changing business realities, advancing tech and their people.
Look for early signs of fragmentation across teams, functions, generations or belief systems. Small rifts can quickly become wide chasms. Your tone, structure and actions set the bar—whether you're in the room or not.
In times of permacrisis, employees respond to steadiness over perfection, authenticity over performance. Are you showing up in a way that reassures, anchors and motivates your leadership team and employees to advance your company's mission successfully?
A Summer Reset That Pays Off For Leaders
This year is more unpredictable than most. Next year is likely to be even more uncertain. Investing even a few hours this summer to reflect could stave off months of chaos later.
Whether you tackle one question or all, what matters most is intentionally carving out the space to think, assess and pivot when needed. Use this summer to sharpen your focus, strengthen your resolve and deepen your leadership in ways that reverberate well beyond year-end.