Leadership Altitude Checks—Are You Drifting Too Far from Your Team?

Leadership isn’t just about climbing the ranks—it’s about staying connected to the people who helped you rise. Too often, leaders ascend so high that they lose sight of the ground beneath them. They forget their own career journey, detach from the realities of their teams, and, worst of all, become the very kind of boss they once swore they’d never be.

This disconnect is what I call a Leadership Altitude Check (LAC) moment. It’s the realization that you might be flying too high—so high that you no longer see or understand what’s happening below. And if you’re not careful, that altitude can come at the cost of your team’s trust, engagement, and respect.

What Are Leadership Altitude Checks?

LACs are intentional moments where leaders pause, reflect, and assess whether they have drifted too far from their teams. These checks help leaders recalibrate their leadership style, ensuring they remain connected, empathetic, and aligned with the people they serve.

When leaders neglect LACs, they start making decisions in isolation, relying on secondhand information, and unintentionally creating a workplace culture of hierarchy instead of collaboration.

Are You Flying Too High? 5 Warning Signs

If you’re wondering whether you need an LAC, here are five key indicators that your leadership altitude might be too high:

1. Your team no longer shares concerns with you.

Are you hearing about workplace challenges secondhand? When leaders become too distant, employees hesitate to bring up issues, fearing their concerns will fall on deaf ears—or worse, that leadership won’t understand their reality. If your team has stopped coming to you, it’s time to check your altitude.

2. You can’t remember the last time you had an informal conversation with your employees.

The higher you climb, the easier it is to get caught up in meetings, strategy sessions, and performance reports. But leadership isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people. When was the last time you had a real, unscripted conversation with someone on your team? Not about deliverables, but about their experience, ideas, or challenges?

3. You assume you “already know” what’s going on.

Do you rely on reports and dashboards instead of real conversations? Metrics are valuable, but they don’t tell the full story. If you’re making leadership decisions based solely on data—without checking in with your team—you might be out of touch with their reality.

4. You’re making the same mistakes as the bosses you once disliked.

Think back to when you were an employee working under leaders who frustrated you. What did they do that made them difficult to work for? Are you exhibiting any of those same behaviors now? Leadership should be about growth—not just for your team, but for you as well.

5. Your decisions are met with quiet resistance, not engagement.

If your team members are nodding along in meetings but disengaging when it’s time for execution, they might feel disconnected from your leadership. A lack of pushback or questions can indicate that employees don’t feel their voice matters. And if they don’t feel heard, they won’t be fully invested.

How to Bring Your Leadership Back to the Right Altitude

If you recognize any of these warning signs, it’s time for a Leadership Altitude Check. Here are three immediate ways to recalibrate:

• Walk the floor (virtually or physically). Get back into the spaces where real work happens. Observe, ask questions, and listen.

• Schedule casual check-ins with employees. Not just performance reviews—real conversations. Ask about their experience and what they need from leadership.

• Reflect on your own leadership journey. What values did you start with? Have you drifted away from them? Reconnect with your why.

Great leaders don’t just climb high—they stay connected.

If you want a deep dive into practical strategies for integrating Leadership Altitude Checks into your leadership routine, I’m sharing a paid article with a step-by-step blueprint on how to stay engaged, avoid leadership isolation, and build trust with your team—without sacrificing executive presence.

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“Strategic Leadership Altitude Checks: A Tactical Blueprint for Staying Connected Without Micromanaging”

In this paid article, you’ll learn:

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✅ Conversation Frameworks—How to ask the right questions to reconnect with your team.

✅ Trust Calibration Techniques—How to balance authority and approachability.

✅ Micro-Actions for Daily Alignment—Small but powerful habits to prevent leadership drift.

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