Businesses are increasingly complex. It’s harder to predict outcomes because intricate systems interact in unexpected ways.

Staying on track is much easier with a guide or checklist. Michael Useem, a professor at my alma mater, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and bestselling author of The Leadership Moment, has published The Leader’s Checklist for creating a clear road map for navigating any situation. It is presented here in summary form, with sample questions that accompany each principle:

1. Articulate a vision: Formulate a clear and compelling vision and communicate why it matters to everyone in the company.

has. Do my direct reports see the forest as well as the trees?

b. Does everyone in the company know not only where we are going, but more importantly, why?

against Is fate compelling and attractive?

2. Think and act strategically: Make a practical plan to achieve this vision, including short-term and long-term strategies. Anticipate reactions and resistance before they happen by considering the perspectives of all stakeholders.

has. Do we have a realistic plan to create results in the short term, as well as chart the future?

b. Have we considered all stakeholders and anticipated objections?

vs. Has everyone agreed and does everyone understand the company’s competitive strategy and value drivers? Can you explain it to others?

3. Express Confidence: Provide frequent feedback to express your appreciation for the support of those who work with and for you.

has. Do the people you work with know that you respect and value their talents and efforts?

b. Have you made it clear that your upward guidance is welcome and sought after?

vs. Is there a sense of compromise up front, with a minimum of “us” vs. “they” mentality?

4. Take charge and act decisively: Embrace an action bias by taking responsibility, even if not formally delegated. Make good, timely decisions and ensure they are carried out.

has. Are you prepared to take charge, even when you’re not in charge?

b. If so, do you have the ability and position to take responsibility?

against For technical decisions, are you willing to delegate, but not abdicate?

d. Are most of your decisions good and timely?

me. Do you convey your strategic intent and then let others make their own decisions?

5. Communicate persuasively: Communicate in a way that people won’t forget, by using personal stories and examples to back up your ideas. Simplicity and clarity are essential.

has. Are the messages about vision, strategy and character clear and indelible?

b. Have you mobilized all communication channels, from the purely personal to social networks?

vs Can you deliver a convincing speech before the elevator passes the 10th floor?

6. Motivate the troops and honor the front lines: Appreciate the distinctive intentions that people bring to their work; Take advantage of diversity to bring out the best in people. Delegate authority except for strategic decisions. Stay close to those who are most directly involved in the work of the company.

has. Have you identified each person’s “hot spot” and focused on it?

b. Do you work personal pride and shared purpose into most communications?

vs Are you saving some dry ammunition for those urgent moments when you need it?

d. Has he made his intent clear and empowered those around him to act?

me. Do you meet regularly with those who are in direct contact with customers?

F. Can your people communicate their ideas and concerns to you?

7. Develop leadership in others and plan for succession: Develop leadership throughout the organization by giving people opportunities to make decisions, manage others, and get coaching.

has. Are all managers expected to build leadership among their subordinates?

b. Does the company culture encourage the effective exercise of leadership?

vs. Are there leadership development opportunities available to most, if not all, managers?

8. Manage relationships and identify personal implications: Build lasting personal ties with those who work with you and engage feelings and passions in the workplace. Help people appreciate the impact the vision and strategy are likely to have on their own work and the future of the company.

has. Is the hierarchy reduced to a minimum and the bad news traveling upwards?

b. Are managers self-aware and empathetic?

against Are autocratic, self-centered and irritable behaviors censored?

d. Do employees appreciate how the company’s vision and strategy affect them individually?

me. What private sacrifices will be necessary to achieve the common cause?

F. How will the plan affect people’s personal livelihood and the quality of their work life?

9. Convey your character: Through storytelling, gestures, and genuine sharing, make sure others appreciate that you are a person of integrity.

has. Have you communicated your commitment to performance with integrity?

b. Do others know you as a person? Do you know their aspirations and hopes?

10. Dampen excess optimism: To balance the arrogance of success, focus attention on latent threats and unresolved issues. Protect against the tendency of managers to engage in unwarranted risk.

has. Have you prepared the organization for unlikely but extremely important events?

b. Do you celebrate success, but also guard against the byproduct of overconfidence?

vs Has it paved the way not just for quarterly results, but long-term performance as well?

11. Build a diverse top team: Although leaders bear ultimate responsibility, leadership is most effective when there is a team of capable people who can work together to solve key challenges. Diversity of thought ensures better decisions.

has. Have you attracted quality artists into your inner circle?

b. Are they diverse in experience, but united in purpose?

vs. Are they as engaged and energetic as you are?

12. Put the common interest first: When setting strategy, communicating vision, and making decisions, common purpose comes first and self-interest last.

has. In all decisions, have you put shared purpose ahead of private gain?

b. Does the vision and strategy of the company embody the mission of the organization?

vs Are you thinking like a president or CEO, even if you’re not?

Not all of these questions are applicable to all situations, but it is the questioning that counts.

Whether you’re facing a typical day at the office or facing a crisis, ask yourself and others these questions to inspire the right actions. Only then can you make sense of the complexities you encounter.