SELF AWARE
WHY IT MATTERS
Without the ability to see yourself as you really are it is impossible to know how to avoid becoming the biggest obstacle to your own success. A leader needs a realistic vision of themselves to become who they need to become. Leaders that are self-aware are genuine and real. They know how to apply their strengths, sure up their weaknesses, and find their blind spots. They believe they can improve, and seek to improve. Their self-awareness makes them feel confident instead of making them insecure because they know the boundaries of their limitations. Leaders that are not self-aware are oblivious of how to apply their strengths, sure up their weaknesses, or ensure their blind spots don’t lead to gaping holes in their performance and ability to lead well.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are self-aware know who they are and who they aren’t. They are at peace with themselves, instead of at war. They see their strengths and what makes them unique, as well as their limitations. They aren’t afraid to learn about themselves or come to new self-realizations. They are proactive in the process of self-learning and self-discovery.
Leaders that are self-aware accept they have blind spots, or realities others know about them that they don’t know about themselves. They openly seek for feedback to help them identify and overcome their blind spots. They are humble and receptive to new knowledge about their performance or behavior and act on it promptly. They take other’s opinions and perceptions about them seriously, knowing that perception is reality. They are not fearful of uncovering their own unknown.
Leaders that are self-aware understand their seen and unseen impact on other people. They pay close attention to other people’s verbal and non-verbal reactions to what they do and say. They are perceptive as to how they might alter their approach to better work with those around them.
Leaders that are self-aware are comfortable talking about the lesser parts of themselves. They are humble enough to acknowledge and discuss their weakness. They aren’t afraid to disclose to people the fact they aren’t perfect. They demonstrate there is strength in showing weakness, and asking for help to get better. They trust that openly talking about and exposing themselves will lead to becoming the best version of themselves.
Leaders that are self-aware have stopped worrying about whether they are as good as someone else. They have a clear picture of what they are good at, and what they are not good at. They seek to improve where they can while accepting where they can’t. They don’t accept mediocrity, but know when they won’t be the best at something and need to step aside.
Leaders that are self-aware know why they do what they do. They know what they value and why they value it. They know what is important to them and what is not. They know their limits and just how far they can push themselves. They do all they can to be who they want to become.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
Without the ability to see yourself as you really are it is impossible to know how to avoid becoming the biggest obstacle to your own success. A leader needs a realistic vision of themselves to become who they need to become. Leaders that are self-aware are genuine and real. They know how to apply their strengths, sure up their weaknesses, and find their blind spots. They believe they can improve, and seek to improve. Their self-awareness makes them feel confident instead of making them insecure because they know the boundaries of their limitations. Leaders that are not self-aware are oblivious of how to apply their strengths, sure up their weaknesses, or ensure their blind spots don’t lead to gaping holes in their performance and ability to lead well.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are self-aware know who they are and who they aren’t. They are at peace with themselves, instead of at war. They see their strengths and what makes them unique, as well as their limitations. They aren’t afraid to learn about themselves or come to new self-realizations. They are proactive in the process of self-learning and self-discovery.
Leaders that are self-aware accept they have blind spots, or realities others know about them that they don’t know about themselves. They openly seek for feedback to help them identify and overcome their blind spots. They are humble and receptive to new knowledge about their performance or behavior and act on it promptly. They take other’s opinions and perceptions about them seriously, knowing that perception is reality. They are not fearful of uncovering their own unknown.
Leaders that are self-aware understand their seen and unseen impact on other people. They pay close attention to other people’s verbal and non-verbal reactions to what they do and say. They are perceptive as to how they might alter their approach to better work with those around them.
Leaders that are self-aware are comfortable talking about the lesser parts of themselves. They are humble enough to acknowledge and discuss their weakness. They aren’t afraid to disclose to people the fact they aren’t perfect. They demonstrate there is strength in showing weakness, and asking for help to get better. They trust that openly talking about and exposing themselves will lead to becoming the best version of themselves.
Leaders that are self-aware have stopped worrying about whether they are as good as someone else. They have a clear picture of what they are good at, and what they are not good at. They seek to improve where they can while accepting where they can’t. They don’t accept mediocrity, but know when they won’t be the best at something and need to step aside.
Leaders that are self-aware know why they do what they do. They know what they value and why they value it. They know what is important to them and what is not. They know their limits and just how far they can push themselves. They do all they can to be who they want to become.
BELIEFS
- If you don’t know who you are today you can never become who you could be tomorrow.
- You have to know your true self if you are ever going to become your best self.
- The key to personal growth comes first in really knowing your weaknesses and your strengths.
- If you can discover your limitations without being afraid of them, you can find ways to overcome them.
- You can’t fear what others know or think about you. You have to openly seek to understand their perspectives and perceptions.
- Everyone has blind spots. The sooner you identify and understand yours the faster you will discover who you really are.
- If you know and accept yourself, others will be more likely to accept you as well.
- Everyone has strengths and weaknesses so don’t be afraid to discover and admit yours.
BEST PRACTICES
- Know what you value and why you value it.
- Be comfortable being yourself.
- Don’t try to be someone you are not.
- Stay true to your inner self at all times.
- Accept your capabilities and limitations.
- Ask for feedback to help you see yourself clearly.
- Discern the motives for your choices.
- Know what makes you different from others.
- Appreciate what makes you unique.
- Have a clear sense of self-definition.
- Create a moral compass to live by.
- Control your thoughts and feelings.
- Know when you need to rejuvenate.
- Understand who you are and who you are not.
- Acknowledge where you have weakness.
- Seek to understand your own blind spots.
- Share your shortcomings openly and honestly.
- Be aware of your thoughts and emotions.
- Be aware of your unseen impact on others.
- Have a clear definition of your values.
- Ask what others think about you.
- Have a clear picture of who you want to be.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I feel at peace with who I am, or do I feel like I am constantly at war with myself?
- Do I have a clear view of my strengths and weaknesses, or do I not yet see myself for who I really am?
- Do I enjoy the process of self-discovery, or do I feel afraid to learn new things about myself?
- Do I identify and compensate for my blind spots, or do I refuse to believe they exist and need to be dealt with?
- Do I want to know how others see me and what they think of me, or do I hesitate to ask for feedback?
- Do I perceive my impact on other people, or am I blind to how people respond to, act, and feel around me?
- Do I take advantage of opportunities to learn more about myself, or do I evade them at all costs?
- Do I know what I like, what I believe, and what drives me, or do I feel like a complete stranger to myself?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t get so concerned about what others think about you that you let it totally consume you and affect you in negative ways.
- Don’t react to learning about a weakness by getting down on yourself and completely blowing things out of proportion.
- Don’t ask about yourself so constantly that other people begin to think you are either self-absorbed or insecure.
PSYCHOMETRIC 360 QUESTIONS
- Some of my team members are more talented than me.
- I fully agree with the statement “feedback is a gift.”
- I’m keenly aware of both my strengths and weaknesses.
- My organization encourages me to get better at what I do.
- I know when I’m out of line.
- My manager understands what my contributions are.