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Leadership Reflection Workbook
Lead with Heart
Building Resilient, Impactful Teams in the Social Care Revolution
Leadership Reflection Workbook
Your personal guide to heart-led leadership development
Dr Karen May
Heart-Led CEO  ·  Mentor  ·  Educator  ·  Doctoral Researcher
Author of Lead with Heart  ·  Aspired Learning & Lifestyle Ltd
Tue 2 June 2026  ·  11:00am UK  ·  Free Live Event
Dr Karen May
❤
Aspired Learning & Lifestyle Ltd  |  Abilities Development Ltd
aspiredlearningandlifestyle.com
Introduction
How to Use This Workbook
A personal space for honest reflection — for you, by you.

This workbook is your companion for the Lead with Heart Leadership Masterclass. It is designed to help you move from listening to doing — turning the ideas and frameworks from today's session into real, lasting change in your leadership practice.

You don't need to complete every page today. Read through, find what speaks to where you are right now, and start there. Come back to the rest over the coming weeks.

"People don't leave organisations first. Often, they leave environments where their hearts no longer feel safe."

— Dr Karen May
Section 01My Leadership Right Now
Section 02The HEART Leadership Model™ — My Self-Assessment
Section 03The Leadership Crisis — What Rings True for Me
Section 04The Accountability Conversation — My Action Plan
Section 05My Resilience & Wellbeing — Honest Check-In
Section 06Building My Team Culture
Section 07My 30-Day Leadership Commitment
Section 08My Heart-Led Leadership Vision
Section 01
My Leadership Right Now
Before we begin — an honest look at where you are starting from today.
Energised
Confident
Overwhelmed
Uncertain
Motivated
Exhausted
Hopeful
Stuck
Inspired
Burned out
What brought you to this masterclass today? What were you hoping to find?
What is the biggest leadership challenge you are facing right now?
How would you rate your leadership confidence right now?
1 = Very low confidence10 = Very high confidence
How supported do you feel in your leadership role?
1 = Not supported at all10 = Fully supported
Section 02
The HEART Leadership Model™
A self-assessment for each principle. Be honest — this is for you.
H
Human-Centred Leadership
I lead with the whole person in mind — not just the role or the task.
How strongly is H — Human-Centred present in my leadership right now?
1 = Not yet present10 = Fully embedded
Where do I currently lead from — the person or the process? When do I find this hardest?
E
Emotional Intelligence
I manage my own emotions and create space for my team's emotions.
How strongly is E — Emotional Intelligence present in my leadership?
1 = Not yet present10 = Fully embedded
What triggers me most as a leader? How do I currently respond when emotions are high in the team?
A
Accountability with Compassion
I hold high standards while honouring the person — I address behaviour, not identity.
How strongly is A — Accountability with Compassion present in my leadership?
1 = Not yet present10 = Fully embedded
Think of a recent accountability conversation. What went well? What would I do differently?
R
Resilience Building
I build resilience in myself and model it for my team.
How strongly is R — Resilience Building present in my leadership?
1 = Not yet present10 = Fully embedded
What depletes my resilience most? What restores it? What does my team see me modelling?
T
Transformational Culture
I am actively building a culture of excellence, safety, and purpose.
How strongly is T — Transformational Culture present in my leadership?
1 = Not yet present10 = Fully embedded
What does the culture in my team look like right now? What one word would my team use to describe it?
Which letter of HEART resonates most with where you are right now, and why?
Section 03
The Leadership Crisis
Reflect honestly on what rings true in your own experience.
Staff burnout is present in my team
High turnover is affecting us
Compassion fatigue is something I experience
I often feel I am leading from exhaustion
Compliance pressure feels relentless
I am often in reactive management mode
Team morale needs attention
I feel unsupported in my leadership
What is the root cause of the biggest challenge you ticked above? Go deeper than the surface — what is really going on?
"The problem is not that leaders don't care. Many are caring deeply — but leading from exhaustion." Does this describe you? What does leading from exhaustion look, feel, and sound like in your day-to-day?
What would be different in your team if you were leading from a place of energy and confidence rather than exhaustion?
Section 04
The Accountability Conversation
Use this 5-step framework to plan a real conversation you need to have.
Who is this conversation with, and what is the situation?
01
CONNECT
Start with the person, not the problem. Ask: "Is there anything I should know before we talk?"
02
CLARIFY
State the standard clearly and calmly. "The expectation we agreed on is X."
03
EXPLORE
Ask what got in the way. Listen fully before responding.
04
COMMIT
Agree a clear, specific action with a timeline. Write it down together.
05
CLOSE
End with affirmation. "I believe you can do this. I'm here if you need support."
When will I have this conversation? Write a specific date and time — not "soon".
Section 05
My Resilience & Wellbeing
An honest check-in. You cannot pour from an empty cup.
How full is my cup right now?
1 = Running on empty10 = Fully restored
Difficult conversations
Staff conflict
Lack of support from above
Paperwork and admin
Feeling undervalued
Not enough time
Managing poor performance
Uncertainty and change
Carrying others' emotions
My own self-criticism
Time with my team when things go well
Exercise or movement
Time away from work
Connecting with nature
Supervision or mentoring
Creative activities
Prayer or spiritual practice
Time with people I love
Learning something new
Rest and sleep
What boundary have I been avoiding putting in place? What has stopped me?
What would I tell a team member to do if they described feeling the way I feel right now?
One thing I will do this week to restore my own energy:
Section 06
Building My Team Culture
What exists now — and what do you want to create?
If I asked my team to describe our culture in three words, they would probably say:
What does psychological safety look like in my team? Do people feel safe to speak up, make mistakes, and bring bad news?
How psychologically safe does my team feel?
1 = Very unsafe10 = Fully safe
How resilient is my team as a whole?
1 = Fragile10 = Highly resilient
How clear is the purpose and vision in my team?
1 = Very unclear10 = Crystal clear
How accountable is the culture in my team?
1 = No accountability10 = High accountability
In one year, if I have led well, what will my team's culture look, feel, and sound like?
What is the single biggest shift I need to make as a leader to get there?
Section 07
My 30-Day Leadership Commitment
Small, consistent shifts create profound long-term change. One action per HEART letter.
H
Human-Centred
One thing I will do to see the whole person in my team:
E
Emotional Intelligence
One thing I will do to strengthen emotional intelligence in my leadership:
A
Accountability
One accountability conversation I will have — and when:
R
Resilience
One thing I will do to build resilience in myself or my team:
T
Transformational Culture
One step I will take to shift the culture in my team:
Who will I share this commitment with? Accountability grows when someone else knows your intention.
Section 08
My Heart-Led Leadership Vision
Where are you going? Who are you becoming as a leader?

"Am I leading for this week, or for the next year?"

— Dr Karen May, Lead with Heart
In five years, what kind of leader do I want to be known as? What do I want my team to say about my leadership?
What legacy do I want to leave in social care? What difference do I want my leadership to have made?
What is the one thing I learned today that I will carry with me?
Write yourself a short letter of encouragement as a leader. What do you most need to hear right now?

Thank you for showing up today — for your team, your organisation, and yourself. Heart-led leadership is not a destination. It is a daily choice. And you have already taken the first step.

Dr Karen May
aspiredlearningandlifestyle.com