Why Being Self Aware Matters
Recently I have been asked to contribute to an innovative programme of support for leaders in one of the sectors in which I work. The Programme has been commissioned by a significant funding organisation whose impact is felt by literally millions of us across the country. And as with brilliant examples from Silicon Valley right through to the not for profit sector, the Programme reflects the clear understanding of the link between good leadership and improved chances of successful outcomes.
My input, just a small part of the Programme, is focused on coaching support for chief executives.
Whilst the support covers the usual range of sounding board, pressure release valve, critical friend, collaborative problem-solver and so on, I have started each of the coaching relationships with a focus on self-awareness, through the use of a robust and well-recognised tool.
Why?
Why does being self-aware matter?
(NB: people attribute all kinds of different meanings to self-awareness. In this context I am using the term ‘self aware’ to describe a state where you are aware of how you operate, what your strengths are, and how you are likely to react to situations and people around you.)
If you’d asked me this question 20 years’ ago, when I was a still green and fairly closed-minded junior lawyer, I would have said that being self-aware wasn’t important. That it was more important to just ‘get on and do’.
So why did Vince Lombardi, one of the greatest coaches and leaders of all time, state:
“Only by knowing yourself can you be an effective leader”
Let’s look at some key reasons for why it matters.
As a leader, the way you lead, the approach you take to tasks, situations and people, has a dramatic effect on outcomes.
Developing your awareness of your style and approach provides the opportunity to understand your strengths.
This is important as it gives you a better chance of recognising and then leveraging them. This can enhance not only outcomes, but also your confidence and job-related wellbeing.
It also enables you to appreciate better the areas where you are not as strong. This means you can make sure you plug these gaps, either through your own development, or through ensuring the right skillsets in those around you.
Increased self-awareness can also, paradoxically, build your understanding of others. If I know that I am someone who likes to achieve things, who has a focus on results, then understanding that this is a specific trait at work not only helps me to recognise this in others, but also to identify where others take a different approach.
Self-awareness can help ensure better decision-making, one of the key elements of leadership. If I know I am someone who likes to take their time, to not be rushed, I can make sure that, where possible, I build a decent time-frame around big decisions I have to make. Equally, if I know that I tend to rush my decision-making, I can make sure I build in a process which ensures sufficient thought, time and consultation can take place.
Even for those of you who are pretty good at this stuff, it’s not something on which you can ever say “ticked that box, what’s next?”. How you operate affects everything you do as a leader, all the time, so having self-awareness as a continual self development area is critical to good leadership.
How can you go about building self-awareness?
There are three easy to use methods to build self-awareness.
1. Ask
Be brave, and open yourself up to those around you. Ask them what they think your strengths are, what your tendencies are, how you are likely to react in certain situations. Do this informally, or through a more formal 360 review process (there are tonnes of easy to use and free tools out there for this).
2. Reflect
Build in time each week to reflect. On situations. On conversations. On outcomes. On decisions. And consider why things turned out the way they did, and to what extent the way you operate had an impact on this. Might there have been a better outcome if you had operated differently? Could you have approached that situation in a better way? Did you really bring your strengths to the fore this week. And so on. Some leaders find it works best to ring fence a short slot each week in their diaries for this. Call it ‘leadership development time’ if that helps. Others do it on a daily basis, or whilst doing a particular activity such as walking or cooking.
3. Use what’s out there
Whilst the tool I use in my coaching relationships is a paid for, British Psychological Society registered tool (the Thomas International PPA), there are a huge number that you can do for free, online, which can add significantly to your self-awareness. Ones I have come across recently, and am happy to recommend, include this one of character strengths (https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths) and this one on your enneagram type – trust me, it’s amazing (https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test). There are also a whole host of simple Insights tests out there which are free and quick to use.
Being self aware makes you a better leader - make sure you help your organisation, and your people, by building in the time to develop yours.