If you have ever attended an interview session and were greeted with a simple line like “Let’s meet you, John” or “Who is Vivian?” you will understand that self-awareness is not a word anyone will take lightly.
Unfortunately, for some, it may take them a lifetime to figure out what self-awareness truly means to them while many out there may be fortunate to figure it all out within the shortest time possible.
As a leader or an aspiring one, you should do everything positive and within your power to know what it means. For me, it simply means “having a deep understanding of myself or knowing who I am without any shadow of a doubt.” And, to help you in your journey of understanding who you are, here are some features to pay close attention to:
1. Strengths:
Part of knowing who you are and confidently saying so to whomever you meet on the face of the earth is that you can recognise your skills, abilities, and positive traits. While many possess the same abilities or traits as you do, no one would be able to do certain things in the unique ways you do yours. For instance, your smile is different. Your laughter may be contagious and could fill the entire room like mine (smiles). It could just be that there is always something that tells those around you that this or that was done by you.
My point is that before you can comfortably come to the self-awareness stage of life, you must be willing to separate yourself and be known for one particular thing or certain things so that whenever your name is mentioned, people will know who you are and what you do. You must be unique, “Separate and Whole” (in the words of Auntie Christine Bature)
2. Weaknesses:
One of the things that makes leaders powerful is to acknowledge the areas where they need improvement or support. Embracing the areas you are weak positions you to access help which automatically makes you stronger in such areas. The more you hide your weakness as a leader, the more your weakness will expose you. Therefore, being weak in a particular area directly or indirectly says you could be strong in the same area if you give yourself the chance to explore the answers you need that will make you become a better version of yourself.
3. Values:
Understanding what drives and motivates you is key to underscoring self-awareness. There is no better way to put this than to say, “You cannot be like everybody else with similar values and outcomes; the way you promote and guard your values must be different.” And, aligning your actions with those values cannot be overstressed. You cannot afford to present yourself in a manner that you are not. I know times are different and somewhat difficult but as a leader, one of your fundamentals to being successful is that you stay true to yourself no matter what happens. Will your values and principles be tested at some point in life? The answer is YES. But, keep keeping on.
4. Emotions:
Being fully aware of your emotions, what triggers them, and how they impact your day-to-day behaviour, activities, and decision-making is also very paramount as a leader. For instance, I remember a particular leader who calls his workers all sorts of demeaning names at the slightest provocation.
The day it happened while I was in his office, you needed to have seen the reaction of that staff. A couple of times, I was with the man and noticed it, I tried cautioning him about the danger of calling his staff such names, but he said he did not mean those words. I told him that his staff would never believe he didn’t mean those words. They will go on thinking they’re worth nothing while with their boss and in the future and may never give the organisation in which they represent their best. As a leader, you must control your emotions at all times. Don’t let me go into the other types of emotions that encourage office romance instead of workers focusing on their work. You should know that the negative impacts of such behaviours are enormous.
5. Biases:
This has to do with recognising your prejudices and working to set them aside so it does not come in conflict with your work or anywhere else you find yourself. It is understandable to have favourites wherever you are but don’t allow it to cloud your sense of judgment from time to time. One other way biases surface is when you place unnecessary expectations on those around you forgetting they are human and are bound to fail at some point. Or when expecting that others will do things the way you will usually do yours. As a leader, one sure way to be successful is by embracing diversity and inclusivity – allowing everyone to be themselves. Tangible growth is found in an atmosphere where there is no undue favouritism.
6. Communication style:
As a leader, understanding how you communicate and how others perceive you is also very important for you to be successful. As a leader, in an #organisation or in whatever field you play in, you should pay attention to “who men say you are but it should never bother you unnecessarily.
For instance, I believe two out of the most powerful attributes of #branding yourself as a #leader or in anything you do is being able to handle #feedback and #criticism – either as an individual, your business or when building the image of others, organisations or not.
For me, I have realised that some of my friends feel I can be autocratic sometimes and have zero tolerance for work that is done haphazardly. And for those who have distinct voices and big tones like ‘mua’ (me), you are mostly referred to as being harsh or rude. And, there is also no doubt about the fact that I ask too many questions that can put some people around me off… I can be detailed to a fault – to the point where a group I worked with at a time chose to abandon me along the way instead of learning to correct the things pointed out to them. So, having realised all of these about myself and how I am perceived, I now know better the best ways to follow some people or situations. As a leader, you should have no ambiguity while communicating. Be clear and straight to the point as much as you can and the environment you are in from time to time allows such.
7. Leadership style:
Last but not least is knowing your approach to leadership and how it impacts your team. As we have different approaches, so we also have types of leadership which play important roles in whether or not you will be successful. We will look at this more deeply in subsequent editions.
In summary, you should never forget that self-awareness is essential as part of the fundamentals and strategies for successful leadership. It helps you to make informed decisions, build strong relationships, communicate effectively, develop your skills more, lead as an authentic leader and make better decisions in life generally.
Additionally, by being self-aware, it means you are willing to accept who you are and then move on to actualise more in the future (which is where self-actualisation comes into play). In the end, the ultimate goal is that you become a more empathetic, effective, and inspiring leader.
Self-awareness is a powerful tool, therefore, leaders all over the world should embrace it. Not forgetting that it takes so much courage and honesty to look inward and acknowledge areas for growth, but you will agree with me that it will be worth the while. When leaders are self-aware, they can better understand their team members, create a positive work culture and self-actualise their dreams and goals alongside those of their organisation. It’s a continuous process, but the benefits are irrefutable.
Thank you very much, esteemed readers. Wishing you all the very best.
