We know that leaders need self-awareness to be effective. That is, an understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, feelings, thoughts, and values — as well as how they affect the people around them. But that’s only half of the story. Self-awareness is useless without an equally important skill: self-management.
How to Move from Self-Awareness to Self-Improvement
We know that leaders need self-awareness to be effective — that is, an understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, feelings, thoughts, and values, as well as how they affect the people around them. But that’s only half of the story. Self-awareness is useless without an equally important skill: self-management. It’s a four-step process. Start by being more present. Pay attention to what is happening in this moment — not what was said 15 minutes ago or what will happen in your next meeting. Second, practice self-awareness. What are you seeing, hearing, feeling, doing, saying, considering? Third, try to identify a range of behavioral choices. What do you want to do next? What are the possible consequences of each action? What feedback have you gotten that might inform your choices? What are some alternative choices you can make — even if they’re not what you want to do or what you usually do. Finally, intentionally choose behaviors that are believed to be the most productive. What behavior will generate the best outcome — even if it’s not the behavior that comes easiest to you.