Understanding and knowing yourself is especially critical to effective leadership. Have you ever worked with a leader who has no idea how he/she is coming across? It's not easy. There is loads of data to support what we already know.
When seventy-five members of the Stanford Graduate School of
Business Advisory Council were asked to recommend the most important capability
for leaders to develop, their answer was nearly unanimous: Self-Awareness.
And...
In a study conducted by the Hay Group, a multinational
consulting firm, 436 participants were divided into groups, according to their
emotional self-awareness score. They discovered an astonishing relationship
with climate. Of those leaders demonstrating high emotional self-awareness, 92
per cent created positive climates (energizing and high performance). Only 8
per cent had a neutral impact and none were creating de-motivating climates. In
sharp contrast, 78 per cent of leaders demonstrating low emotional
self-awareness created negative climates.
And...
Korn Ferry, another consulting giant, did a study that
suggests that public companies with a higher rate of return also employ
professionals who exhibit higher levels of self-awareness. Poorly performing company’s employees had 20
percent more “blind spots” than those working at financially strong companies.
AND… Poorly performing company’s employees were 79 percent more likely to have
low overall self-awareness than those at companies with higher performance.
The Care and Feeding of Your Self –Awareness.
Self-awareness is a moving target. We
are constantly changing as are our circumstances; our frame of reference
shifting with every new experience, our perceptions of ourselves and others
continuously morphing. Whether you are in a leadership role or not, to be successful personally
and professionally, you need to keep your self-awareness healthy and attuned. This
requires that you work from the outside in as well as the inside out.
From the outside in….
- Ask for feedback. Find trusted partners and ask often, listen with an open mind and thank them.
- Take assessments, there are many quality self-diagnostic tools available in books. Here are a few: Strengthfinder 2.0, by Tom Rath, Standout, by Marcus Buckingham, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves.
- Observe others and compare how their responses are similar or different from your own. Study their behaviors and communication habits.
- Be aware of how others are responding to you, what is working and bringing you the desired outcomes? When are you disappointed by the reactions of others? Stop blaming others for what you are not getting.
- Look at the tangibles, when do you perform well? When do others recognize you? What are you known for? Decide what should you never do yourself and what should you always do yourself?
From the inside out…
- Tune into your emotions. Observe events that trigger hostility, anxiety, stress, peacefulness or energy. Keep a log so you can identify the drivers. Listen to your body.
- Make a date with silence, daily. Silence is your best friend, when was the last time you spent some time with her? Turn down the volume and limit your distractions, you will be surprised how easily clarity surfaces.
- Look at your story. Assume that the last year has been a chapter, how does it compare to other chapters? How have you changed? Are you happy with those developments?
- Create your own self-assessment. Develop three or four questions to measure yourself against your personal aspirations. Ask yourself the same four questions each night before you fall asleep. The exercise of asking these questions consistently will bring clarity.
image credit: gainesvillescene.com
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