One key role of a leader is to see what is coming down the road: to scan the horizon, to spot the moments to speed up or slow down, to see the bigger picture as the jigsaw gets put together piece by piece.

A great way to test yourself is by looking at your own diary and asking yourself these 7 questions:

1. What proportion of your time is spent with colleagues only?

2. How many meetings get in at less than 48 hours notice?

3. Do you have one meeting each month which your office would never predict that you would consider a priority?

4. Do you have at least one, one to one, face to face meeting with someone over a meal?

5. Do you have at least one meeting each month conducted in a language which is strange to you?

6. Did you meet someone last month in a taxi or a plane, in a reception, or a queue who gave you a small new idea?

7. Have you listened to the views of someone who deeply disagreed with you in the last month?

Will you miss opportunities for yourself and your organisation? Or do you have the diary of a leader who is geared towards the bigger picture?

Let us know what changes you can make to see the bigger picture in comments below.