Edge of Mastery Survey

LEADERSHIP UNDER PRESSURE SURVEY
(The Edge of Mastery Leadership Self-Assessment)

This brief survey is designed to help you better understand how your leadership expresses itself under pressure: when stakes are high, situations are complex, and emotions are activated. How you show up in these moments often makes the biggest difference in your ability to lead with greater clarity, presence, and impact.

This survey does not measure personality, leadership style, or competence. Instead, it helps you identify:

  • which leadership capacities you can reliably access when pressure increases
  • which tend to narrow or become less available in demanding moments
  • what to prioritize in your leadership development to be most effective when it matters most

The survey takes approximately 7 minutes to complete. At the end, you’ll receive a personalized PDF report describing your leadership-under-pressure pattern, with insights and guidance tailored to your most important next steps in development.

Please answer honestly and intuitively. There are no right or wrong answers.




1. When you encounter an unfamiliar, difficult challenge, how often do you respond with curiosity and embrace it as an opportunity to learn rather than relying on what is already proven?

2. When you need to uphold a boundary under pressure, how often do you do so firmly and calmly—without being forceful or avoiding the situation?

3. When others feel overwhelmed or confused, how often do you remain clear, poised, and steady?

4. How often do you try a new leadership approach, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky?

5. When asked to do something that conflicts with your values, how often do you speak up in the moment and express what matters to you?

6. When acting under pressure, how often do you focus on what matters most to you and let that guide your choice, even when alternate expectations are present?

7. When facing competing perspectives, how often do you acknowledge them and allow them to inform your thinking without having to reconcile them into a single answer?

8. When a situation calls for you to lead differently than you normally do, how often do you resist or delay making that shift?

9. In emotionally charged moments, how often are you both direct and empathic at the same time?

10. When faced with competing priorities, how often do you pause or step back before choosing the best option?

11. When required to make an unpopular decision, how often do you choose the option aligned with your values—even when you expect real consequences?

12. When strong emotions arise, how often do you notice the emotions (yours or others’) and use that information to guide your response?

13. When challenged in the moment, how often do you stand your ground confidently and respectfully to uphold what you believe is right?

14. When a situation calls you to reconsider your usual leadership approach, how often do you react with apprehension rather than open curiosity about adapting?

15. When pressure spikes (tight timelines, conflicting demands, sudden issues), how often do you notice how stress shows up in you (e.g., tightness, shallow breath, racing thoughts)?

16. When outcomes are uncertain and stakes are high, how often do you stay grounded, clear, and confident?

17. When new information challenges your point of view, how often do you stay open and receptive rather than holding firmly to your original position?

18. In urgent situations, how often do you slow down enough to identify what truly needs to be addressed—and what can wait?

19. When someone challenges your authority, how often do you stay open and seek understanding in the moment, rather than avoiding the challenge or over-asserting your position?

20. When facts or the path forward are unclear, how often do you pause to check what assumptions you’re making before acting?

21. When your authority is questioned or challenged, how often do you default to either pushing back forcefully or softening your stance and holding back?

22. In tense or high-stakes situations, how often do you pause and steady yourself (e.g., breathe deeply, relax your shoulders, slow your pace) before responding?

23. When your authority is tested, how often do you pause to align with what matters most—to you and to the relationship—before responding?

24. When you feel triggered or unsettled, how often do you notice early shifts in your tone, tension, posture, or internal dialogue?

25. When pressure builds, how often do you prioritize urgency and speed before you have clarity on key facts or direction?

26. In high-pressure moments, how often do you stay calm and present (e.g., slowing down, asking clarifying questions, listening fully)?

27. When the stakes feel personal, how often do you express your needs, boundaries, or concerns clearly, calmly, and respectfully in the moment?

28. When pressured to make a decision that conflicts with your standards, how often do you respectfully state your position instead of going along to meet expectations?

29. When managing high-visibility issues, how often do you prioritize longer-term organizational priorities over short-term optics or impression management?

30. When stakes are high and demands compete, how often do you pause midstream to clarify priorities before pushing forward?

31. When urgency pushes you to act quickly, how often do you pause to notice what is driving that urgency (e.g., the need to appear decisive, pressure to deliver, or fear of negative consequences)?

32. How often do you keep relying on a familiar approach even after you recognize it is no longer producing the results you need?

33. When others express strong emotion, how often do you stay curious and open and let the emotion inform the conversation, rather than trying to fix it, avoid it, or dismiss it?

34. In the heat of the moment, how often do you hedge your words, or go along with something you don’t agree with because it is expected of your role?

35. After a high-pressure moment, how often do you reflect on how you showed up—your tone, presence, and impact on others?