“Self awareness is the ability to take an honest look at your life without any attachment to it being right or wrong, good or bad.”
Great Leaders Start with Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is one of the most important aptitudes required to make the transition from good leadership into great.
Interestingly, self-awareness can also impact a company’s bottom line, according to this research by the Korn Ferry Institute, “Companies with higher rates of return on stock also have employees with fewer personal blind spots.”
Despite the need for self-awareness, it seems to be in short supply among many leaders. According to the Hay Group Research, 19 percent of women executives interviewed exhibited self-awareness as compared to 4 percent of their male counterparts.
Do you need a new approach to increasing self-awareness?
Gaining a new perspective on your old behaviors can reap great dividends for your organization and your career trajectory. It can also help you reduce turnover costs as your new employees will be more engaged with increased leadership strength. Here are 5 ways you can increase your self-awareness:
- Gather feedback from trusted sources or take a 360▫ Assessment. I’ve used these for years within organizations and I have really seen it make a difference! I’m happy to share my favorites with you.
- Take a personality or behavioral assessment like Everything DiSC, Myers Briggs or Strengths Finder. If you’ve never done this it will really open your eyes to your style and what you naturally bring to the table.
- Build Emotional Self-Awareness- As you come to comprehend your own emotions and behavior, you increase your understanding for what drives the actions of those around you. With this knowledge, you can improve your relationships, and above all, your happiness. A good emotional “vocabulary” and steady self-reflection helps us become more conscious of our emotions. Let me know if you need ideas on how to do this. I can share some additional tips.
- Know Yourself- Do an assessment of your values. Become clear on what you stand for. Use this tool to get started.
- Get executive coaching. A good coach will give you her observations and insights from working with you. They are not afraid to tell you that you have “spinach in your teeth”, all in the name of helping you.
DiSC Certification Online
March 09 – March 30, 2018
Live session each Friday from 1:00 – 2:30pm MST
DiSC Certification In-person
March 27 – March 28, 2018
Minneapolis