Ask the average person if they are "self-aware" and the typical answer is, Yes!

Unfortunately, research shows that only 10% to 15% of the population operates with high self-awareness.

Asking questions and truly listening are fundamental to developing better self-awareness, and most people lack humility, patience, and the desire to remain inquisitive and listen attentively.

Lack of self-awareness has never been more evident than in leadership today.

Look around and you will see plenty of examples of arrogance, self-righteousness, absolute certainty, disingenuousness, group thinking, and low emotional intelligence on display.

Corporate executives and politicians are the worst perpetrators, and organizations suffer when their leaders “believe their great” but lack the skills required to lead effectively.

Cultivating better self-awareness is a journey and one that requires complete dedication and vulnerability.

Most people are too “busy” making profits or building their careers to appreciate the importance of leading with greater self-awareness.

We have emphasized rewards and punishment as part of an academic system that values the “good students” who follow the rules and punishes kids that operate “outside the box” with active imaginations and alternative ways of learning.

Many teachers are so busy trying to push their political agendas, they neglect teaching children how to be emotionally intelligent human beings. Better people, not political advocates.

No surprise when kids leave college campuses today, many are eager activists that mingle leadership with their political prejudice. This creates tenuous dynamics in the workplace that are easily avoidable, with a little self-awareness.

Focusing on better leadership helps us build corporate cultures that truly understand the important issues confronting business today but helps us navigate those spaces with better finesse and emotional awareness.

"To know yourself, you must sacrifice the illusion that you already do." --VIRONIKA TUNGALEVA

TO LEAD WITH GREATER CHARACTER WE CAN FOCUS ON 5 THINGS TO IMPROVE OUR SELF-AWARENESS:

01. INTERNAL

Many people don’t realize that self-awareness involves two types of mechanisms that affect our interaction with people. One is internal and reflects how well we see our values, feelings, and the impact they have on other people. People that cultivate better internal self-awareness enjoy great job satisfaction and healthier work relationships.

02. EXTERNAL

External self-awareness is our ability to recognize how other people perceive our values, thoughts, and feelings. When we are tapped into how people interpret our values, we develop greater empathy and compassion because we value other people’s perspectives and how our behavior is affecting them.

"The most important conversations you'll ever have are the ones you'll have with yourself."

-- DAVID GOGGINS

03. REFLECTION

Many people lash out at team members, act impatient, or make demands without contemplating their impact. Leaders with high self-awareness take time each day to reflect on how their actions are affecting people. They journal, meditate, walk, and reflect to gain deeper insight into their behavior and ask questions about why they act the way they do. It’s a daily discipline that helps us identify triggers and environmental cues that may influence our reaction to certain people and certain situations.

04. MENTOR

Many leaders don’t take the time to cultivate great talent and coach people to become more self-aware. For starters, most aren’t self-aware to begin with and the second reason varies. Many people are so preoccupied moving ahead, they may not care enough to help other people grow. Some leaders are threatened by exceptional talent and the perception they may not have all the answers. Regardless, highly self-aware leaders focus on growing great talent, and they understand the importance of building stronger teams.

05. OBSERVANT

People with high self-awareness pay attention to the details most people miss. They recognize things most people overlook and understand how to identify potential weaknesses and strengths to help their team members improve, grow, and flourish. Most people are in such a hurry they don’t observe body language and nonverbal cues, so they neglect interceding to help people make changes that might be beneficial in how they communicate, interact, and influence other team members.

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep, you'll find something golden." -- Gift Gugu Mona

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