The Significance of Self-Awareness
New year - new you…. but do you really know you? Aristotle famously said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” This rings true in every aspect of life, but today we’re going to dig into what this means for those of us who have chosen to pursue the calling of executive leadership. Join us for this meaningful exploration about the significance of self-awareness.
Defining Effective Self-Awareness
What are we really talking about when we use the term self-awareness? For those at the executive leadership level, it means much more than simply knowing yourself. Effective self-awareness is a carefully balanced awareness of both self and others.
Recent HBR data of more than 5,000 participants led to this deeper understanding of effective self-awareness. The results of these studies revealed that there are two categories of self-awareness. These categories are defined as:
Internal self-awareness: “Clearly seeing our own values, passions, aspirations, fit with our environment, reactions, and impact on others.”
External self-awareness: “Understanding how other people view us, in terms of those same factors listed above.”
Anyone who’s had the opportunity to work with someone who excels at this dual approach to self-awareness knows firsthand how empowering it can be to the entire team. The impact can be seen with results such as:
Increased influence
More transformational strategies
Better communication
Improved ability to align teams
And lower stress levels!
The Challenge of Self-Awareness in Leadership
Learning what motivates you allows you to find work and activities that are energizing to you, leading to greater personal and professional success. However, many of us are looking for more than just individual wins. We want our whole team to share in the success.
Unfortunately, for many high-ranking executives, wielding both self-awareness and excellent people leadership skills simultaneously can be challenging.. A recent Hogan article gets at the heart of the challenge that exists for leaders who are self-aware:
“A key point in understanding self-awareness and leadership is that these motives are in a state of tension: The more you self-sacrifice, the more people like you; and the more you win, the less people like you.
Therefore, one of the fundamental challenges in everyday life (and leadership) is being liked while being promoted or being sensitive while telling people what to do.
People who get it right enjoy more relationships and power than those who get it wrong, and these are the same people who are good at leadership.”
As we often say, many things are true at once. It’s the dilemma of leadership.So, what’s the secret to “getting it right”?
Ways to Build Self-Awareness
Often the difference between a good leader and a great leader is simply the amount of time and energy he or she is willing to put into self-development. As executive coaches, we spend quite a bit of time creating effective tools for just this purpose.
The following tips will push you. But, if you’re willing to be vulnerable enough to hear honest feedback and brave enough to admit you’re still learning, they will lead you to become effectively self-aware.
Small steps you can take:
Ask for feedback from your peers, your partner and your team
Review your “stories” - what's factual and objective vs identifying the narrative you create about the world around you
Try the Johari window exercise
Take time to review and reflect at the end of the day, week, or even at the end of a meeting or conversation: what worked? What didn’t? What can you do differently?
Leverage the support of a professional
Work with a Nova coach to participate in a 360 assessment
Partner with a Nova executive coach to do a Hogan Leadership Assessment
Attend a Nova Leadership Immersion Retreat to build self-awareness and community
Executive Leadership
If you are looking for more ways to become a self-aware leader, we’d love to partner with you on that journey. Effective coaching is a challenging, rewarding, and intimate experience. We work with leaders to get clarity on what’s most important, and to push boundaries to achieve more than you ever thought possible. Contact us today to learn more!