The importance of being a self-aware leader
When I think back to who I was ten years ago, I barely recognize myself. My way of thinking was that of a completely different person. I can’t deny sometimes I’m embarrassed to remember who I once was. I’ve been naïve, ignorant-and a know-it-all at the same time, judgmental, closed minded, and I’m sure some of the patient souls who tolerated me back then could add to the list. Needless to say, thinking back on Taylor ten years ago does not feel great.
So how does the person I described turn into who I am today? Without a doubt, a large portion of my development came down to self-awareness. Ten years ago, I was not interested in knowing the negatives about my personality or my approach with others. Truthfully, on a subconscious level I wanted to think I was smarter and better than everyone else. It took a lot of looking inside myself and plenty of humbling experiences to develop the self-awareness I have today.
I will say, part of becoming more self-aware is getting out of your comfort zone. Experiencing new things and meeting new people will help open your mind to see what’s around you and what’s inside yourself. When I was twenty-one, I moved across the country. This was a huge move in my becoming self-aware. The bubble I grew up inside had not done me any favors in learning to see my areas of opportunity, and frankly they don’t teach that in school. The process was painful at times. When people start pointing out your flaws, you get your feelings hurt. But this process was so incredibly necessary in making me into the self-aware leader that I am today.
Self-awareness is fundamental in the making of a leader. It is important that we dissect ourselves and examine what makes us who we are. To be an effective leader, you must first be able to lead yourself. And to lead yourself, you must know yourself inside and out. Just as it’s important to get to know your team on a deeper level in order to lead them well, you must do the same with yourself.
Know your strengths and be confident in them. Figure out what you bring to the table and own it. There is a difference in being arrogant and being confident in your abilities. It’s a sweet mix of humility and confidence that makes for a coachable, self-aware leader. You can be comfortable and confident while always keeping your eyes open for things you can improve.
Finally, know your weaknesses and learn how to address them. The first step here is being okay with the fact that you have weaknesses. We need to know our areas of opportunity if we want to grow and evolve as humans and as leaders. Having weaknesses does not make you less-than, it just means there’s room to grow. Full disclosure- you will always have weaknesses and there will always be more room to grow. It may hurt at first to have to confront your flaws, but if you really want to improve yourself you must first see yourself for who you are. Once you determine the issues that need fixing, you must dig deeper to discover what is causing them. Being honest with yourself about your short-comings is the only way to overcome what’s holding you back and move forward towards your best self.
A while back I noticed I had a habit of reacting defensively when questioned about my decisions. At some point I had put up a wall that kept me from communicating effectively due to the fear of feeling like I was doing something wrong. Once I was aware of this, I was able to combat it every time I began to respond this way. With the defensiveness out of the way, I am able to truly listen and communicate with others in a smoother and more effective manner. You see, we can’t fix something if we don’t even realize we are doing it. This is why self-awareness is so important.
As you move forward in your leadership journey, be on the look out for weaknesses and blind spots, and be receptive and open to feedback from those around you who know you best. Don’t be afraid to ask “Are there any areas I need to improve that I might not be aware of?” Have someone in your life who can point things out and hold you accountable. I discover new things all the time that I wasn’t aware of before, and I feel more confident and capable with each weakness that I conquer. I will never reach perfection, but until my last day I will continue working to improve so that I can be my best for others.
