The Leadership Currency Audit
A 90-minute diagnostic sprint to map actual vs.
A 90-minute diagnostic sprint to map actual vs. formal power sources in your organization. Identifies whether your leadership model is despotic (>70% formal authority), healthy (40-60% mix), or experiencing authority vacuum (<30% formal). Helps detect hidden power dynamics before they become problematic.
When to Use The Leadership Currency Audit
Series A+ companies (15-200 people), quarterly or after major org changes. Use when politics emerge, informal power diverges from org chart, or key decisions happen in opaque ways. Skip if pre-seed (<15 people), enterprise (200+ needs consultants), or crisis mode.
How to Apply
Decision Inventory
List 8-10 major decisions from last 60 days across product, people, strategy, operations categories
Questions to Ask
- Who first raised this as a decision?
- Whose opinion changed your mind or broke a tie?
- Who was in the room when the real decision happened?
Outputs
- Decision table with date, official decision-maker, outcome
Influence Mapping
For each decision, identify who actually influenced it using power source codes
Questions to Ask
- Who provided critical information/analysis?
- Whose objection could have blocked it?
Outputs
- Influence map with power sources: [F]ormal, [E]xpertise, [R]elationships, [I]nformation, [P]olitical, [H]istorical
Currency Analysis
Tally power sources across all decisions and diagnose patterns
Questions to Ask
- Is formal authority >70% (despotic risk)?
- Is formal authority <30% (vacuum)?
- Is political >40% (coalition warfare)?
Outputs
- Power source percentages
- Concentration analysis
- Diagnostic interpretation
Action Planning
Based on analysis, identify 2-3 specific actions to rebalance power currencies
Outputs
- Delegation decisions
- Working group formations
- RACI clarifications
- Next review date