As a leader, your behaviour and decisions affect your team more than you might realise. A recent study found that for almost 70% of people, their manager has the same impact on their mental health as their partner.
This finding highlights how important self-awareness is. Without understanding how we influence others, we risk unintentionally having a negative impact. Conversely, by tuning into our own needs and responding effectively to our environment, we can have a huge, positive influence on those around us.
Developing self-awareness is not just about understanding how you affect others; it’s also essential for managing your own wellbeing. When you have a clear sense of your strengths, challenges, and emotional triggers, you can better navigate life’s ups and downs. This self-knowledge helps you make more informed decisions, create healthy boundaries, and seek help when needed.
By being attuned to your own needs, you’re better equipped to manage stress and prevent burnout, ultimately leading to a more sustainable and fulfilling leadership journey.
So let’s get into it! Here’s how you can harness self-awareness to elevate your leadership, manage your capacity, and make a meaningful impact:
1. Know thyself
At its core, self-awareness begins with understanding who you are. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, your values, and how they influence your behaviour. Self-awareness can be like an iceberg (see the diagram below). What’s above the line is what everyone can see. What’s below the line is what they can’t see. Get to know what’s above and below the waterline for you.
Tips for action:
- Conduct a self-assessment: Use tools like personality tests or 360-degree feedback surveys to gain insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. If you’re unsure where to start, ask your HR team for advice. They may have access to tools you can use.
- Set reflection time: Allocate a regular time each week to reflect on your recent experiences and how they align with your values and goals. Ask yourself, “What went well? What didn’t go well? What should I start, stop and continue doing?”
- Create a strengths and challenge list: Identify key strengths and challenges and develop a plan to leverage your strengths and address areas for development.
2. Get comfortable with managing your emotions
Self-awareness also involves understanding and managing your emotions. Leaders who are in tune with their emotional states are better equipped to handle stress and respond to challenges constructively. Not everyone finds this an easy task, and that’s ok. If you’re still learning how to fully feel emotions, it can be helpful to talk to someone like a counsellor (you could try your company’s EAP service). This isn’t saying you need therapy; it’s about building your strength as a leader.
Tips for action:
- Tune in: Incorporate time in the day to check in with yourself to stay aware of your emotional state. You could ask, “How’s my head? How’s my body? How’s my outlook right now?” Some people use a traffic light (green being great, orange being average and red being ‘need to recharge’), or a 1-5 scale to help them.
- Develop coping strategies: Identify and use coping strategies such as deep breathing, exercise, or talking with a trusted colleague when you’re feeling stressed.
- Monitor emotional triggers: Keep track of situations or interactions that trigger strong emotional responses. After a period of time, review your list and work out which situations or interactions cause you to have the strongest responses. Develop strategies to manage them effectively (and by all means, talk to someone if you need some help doing this).
3. Recognise your impact on others
Self-awareness involves recognising how your actions, tone, and even non-verbal cues influence those around you.
Tips for action:
- Observe reactions: Pay attention to your team’s body language and reactions during meetings and interactions. Gently enquire if you notice people seem upset, taking the approach that you want to understand. Modify your behaviour if you find a different style would be more productive (e.g. if you find yourself talking most of the meeting, find ways to invite others to speak more).
- Conduct team surveys: Periodically survey your team to gauge their perception of your leadership and make improvements based on their responses. You may need to get an external provider or a colleague you and your team trust to do this so that you can all trust the process, and have someone to help you debrief and understand the results.
4. Cultivate empathy
Empathy is a key component of self-awareness and effective leadership. Understanding and sharing the feelings of others helps you build stronger relationships and create a more supportive team environment. Practice active listening and put yourself in your team members’ shoes to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives and needs. This empathetic approach fosters trust and respect, which are essential for a cohesive and motivated team.
Tips for action:
- Practice active listening: Active listening is different from just listening. It means focusing fully on the speaker, making eye contact, and asking clarifying questions to show that you understand their perspective. You can also make statements such as “It sounds like you’re feeling frustrated.” This shows you’re doing more than being passive, you’re tuning in to what’s happening for the person.
- Engage in empathy: Ask yourself, “What’s behind the behaviour?” Park your perspective for a moment, and try to understand the other person’s point of view and what may be impacting it.
- Encourage open communication: Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with you. There’s a term called psychological safety, which is helpful here. That’s a whole other article, so you may like to either google it for now or know that the basic idea is that when people feel they can truly be themselves at work and constructively raise issues without fear of repercussions, then everyone benefits.
5. Reflect on your leadership style
Take time to regularly reflect on your leadership style and its effectiveness. It can be helpful to view leadership development as a craft, rather than a function of getting things done. This promotes a growth mindset and allows us to continually improve.
Tips for action:
- Reflect on your experiences: Keep a journal of your leadership experiences, including successes and challenges, and reflect on them regularly. When life gets busy, it can be easy to miss doing this, but it can help us stay proactive rather than fall into reactive patterns.
- Seek external perspectives: Consult with a coach or mentor to gain an external perspective on your leadership style and its effectiveness. This can be so helpful! Highly recommended.
6. Embrace feedback
One of the most powerful ways to enhance your self-awareness is by seeking and embracing feedback. Not many people love feedback, and it can make us feel defensive. However, feedback can be gold and can give us insights into ourselves that we may never have come to on our own. Regularly ask for input from colleagues, mentors, and team members about your leadership style.
Tips for action:
- Seek feedback: Regularly ask for feedback from your team on how your behaviour affects them. This can be uncomfortable in the beginning and your team may be hesitant to be open so you could say, “I don’t know what I don’t know, so I wanted to understand more about how we work together. What’s one thing you enjoy about working with me, and what’s one thing I could do more of?” Thank people for being open and show how you’re taking the feedback on. You may not agree with all of the feedback too, and that’s ok. Consider how you’ll constructively put your view across if you disagree.
- Act on feedback: This is important. Take actionable steps based on the feedback you receive and communicate the changes you’re making to your team. It’s ok if you don’t get it right the first time! Be open and honest with your team that you’re trying.
7. Lead by example
Your actions often speak louder than words. By demonstrating self-awareness in your own behaviour, you set a powerful example for your team. Show that you’re committed to personal growth and your own wellbeing, and encourage your team to do the same. This approach not only fosters a culture of continuous learning but also strengthens your leadership impact.
Tips for action:
- Model desired behaviours: Exhibit the behaviours and attitudes you want to see in your team, such as transparency, empathy, and a willingness to learn. For example, leave loudly. Tell you’re team when you’re signing off for the day.
- Share your journey: Be open about your own self-awareness journey and the steps you’re taking to grow as a leader. When mistakes happen, own up to them and use them as learning opportunities. This will help to encourage a culture of self-awareness and continuous improvement within your team.
8. Set personal development goals
To continually grow in self-awareness, set specific, actionable goals for your personal development. Identify areas where you’d like to improve and create a plan to address them. For instance, if you recognise that you struggle with delegation, set a goal to improve this skill by seeking out resources or training.
Tips for action:
- Create SMART Goals: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals for your personal development, and tell someone to help you stay accountable!
- Track progress: Regularly review your progress towards these goals and adjust your plans as needed.
- Seek development resources: Look for workshops, courses, or reading materials that can help you develop the skills or knowledge needed to achieve your goals.
Self-awareness is more than just an individual skill; it’s a vital part of effective leadership. By understanding yourself, recognising your impact on others, and embracing feedback, you can lead with greater insight and empathy.
Unlocking your leadership potential through self-awareness can be an absolute game-changer and there’s no time like now to start.
