Self awareness requires those who want to be leaders to believe it is essential to know themselves and to know themselves well. They must have a realistic view of themselves and who they are – including their strengths and weaknesses as managers, leaders, and people.
They need to be aware of how they impact others and how they need to manage their emotions and approaches with others. They cannot be defensive, and they must be continually open to greater depths of self understanding and greater skill development in order to work effectively with others.
Try this:
As quickly as you can write the answers to the following two questions:
- What are your top three strengths?
- List three situations in which you perform best.
If you can quickly provide these answers you’re in good shape regarding your self awareness. If you struggled, you’ve got some work to do. Find some quiet time to think about these questions more deeply and talk with those who know you well.
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