Being self-aware changes how a leader learns, navigates the world, and influences how they behave. The more self-aware a leader is, the more likely they can adjust their behavior and thinking to fit a situation.
If there were only one quality from which to predict lifetime success, self-awareness would have to be on the shortlist.
So, what is self-awareness exactly and how does a leader know if they have much of it? Traditional definitions suggest that those who are self-aware know themselves. They have an objective view of their strengths and their weaknesses. In particular, they can describe their weaknesses as vividly as they can articulate their assets. They can also elaborately describe their values, passions, reactions to triggering events, and impact on others. Perhaps most importantly, they understand the contrast between how they see themselves and how others see them.
By embracing this contrast, they are able to adapt on the fly. Their self-awareness allows them to read situations, people, and rooms. Because they objectively know where they stand and who they are, they can instantly see the contrast of how others orient to the same situation or experience. Their ability to be more effective in any arena is a direct reflection of this awareness and adaptability.
Leaders who are highly self-aware think about this contrast all the time. They are constantly trying to read context and understand how they see things differently. They judge their accuracy by observing how others respond to their choices in style, messages, actions, and decisions. They learn more about themselves through every interaction and situation and use this data to become more effective in the future.
Leaders can enhance their self-awareness by first examining their core beliefs and values and how this compares to others they respect. Gathering feedback about their strengths and weaknesses provides another essential insight. How others see their assets and challenges helps them to see themselves more objectively.
Learning how others respond to them and how they impact people through their choices is another important learning stream. This can be accomplished through observation, feedback, and candid conversations with those who have the experience to judge them.
No leader is too self-aware or can rest on what they know about themselves from yesterday. That’s why working on becoming more self-aware is a never-ending learning process for those who aspire to be great. The best leaders agree with the ancient Greeks that knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom.
How self-aware are you? What makes you so sure?
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