Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with leaders from every corner of the business world—each with their own unique stories and challenges. One key lesson from these experiences stands out in a prominent way for me: self-awareness isn’t just a “nice to have” asset for leaders—it’s a foundational part of great leadership. The most influential and successful leaders I know possess a keen sense of their emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and core values. They have a deep understanding how these characteristics shape their decisions, relationships and the way they show up to others. Yet, as I reflect on my experience, it’s easy and quite common for leaders to think they are self-aware, when they are not. It can often be a key barrier inhibiting the transition from being a capable leader to becoming an outstanding leader.
Why Self-Awareness Is Critical for Leaders
Reflect for a moment on the leaders you admire most. Is it their technical competence or strategic thinking that makes them memorable? Their ability to deliver good financial results? Or is it their natural ability to earn and foster trust, the authentic relationships they forge, and the way they lead with humility and empathy?
Consider these five powerful examples of self-awareness in action:
- Better Decision-Making: Leaders who understand themselves can recognize when their biases, one-dimensional thinking or emotions are at play. This self-knowledge allows them to pause, ask good questions, actively listen, consider different viewpoints, and make well-informed decisions instead of operating within a closed off mental vacuum of their own making where they only consider their own points of view.
- Stronger Relationships: When you’re conscious of your personality and communication style—both your words and your body language—you can adjust to meet others where they are, paving the way for genuine connection and trust.
- Deeper Empathy: Self-awareness often unlocks empathy. When you recognize your own emotional makeup, you’re better equipped to understand and support those around you, creating an environment of collaboration and care.
- Effective Self-Management: Every leader deals with stress. Those who are self-aware learn to regulate their emotions, respond with intention, and remain a positive and steady influence—especially under pressure. They recognize their stress triggers and avoid them or find effective ways to manage through them.
- Authentic Leadership: When your daily words and actions align with your deepest values, your team sees you as genuine and credible. Authenticity fosters trust and loyalty, both of which are essential for long-term success.
Practical Steps to Help You Grow Self-Awareness
One of my strong beliefs as an executive coach—and something I share often with professionals at every stage of their careers—is that self-awareness isn’t reserved for a select few. Anyone can (and should) develop it through commitment and daily practice. Here are some practical approaches that have made a real difference for the leaders I’ve served:
- Invite Candid and Specific Feedback: Routinely seek out specific and candid (not generic) input from colleagues, mentors, and team members. Avoid useless questions like “Am I doing OK?” and embrace questions like “What are two things I need to be working on to better help our team be successful?” Also, tools like a 360-degree feedback process can reveal blind spots and offer valuable perspectives you might miss on your own. If everyone tells you things are always great, be concerned and start digging deeper.
- Practice Reflection: I have long advocated for regularly setting aside time for journaling or moments of quiet reflection. These pauses can help you be more aware of your emotions, stress triggers and patterns in your behavior, leading to deeper understanding which can help you more quickly make necessary changes.
- Spend Time in the “Balcony”: Step back from the “dance floor” of daily operations to observe your team and your own behavior objectively, as if watching from a balcony. Early mornings during the work week are a good time for this when you carefully and candidly reflect on your actions from the previous day. Give it a try!
- Be Insatiably Curious and Focused on Learning: The most effective leaders I know are always asking questions, actively listening and learning. Hang out with people who know more than you, pick their brains and pay attention. Read more, listen to helpful podcasts, attend relevant workshops, pursue coaching opportunities to help you grow, and challenge yourself to grow your emotional intelligence.
- Notice Your Impact on Others: Intentionally practice being aware of how your words and actions affect those around you. If you are not sure, create a psychologically safe environment where you can regularly seek and receive candid feedback. Self-aware leaders consistently make conscious adjustments in the moment, creating healthier and more productive teams. Look for and quietly celebrate small wins each week where you are making improvements.
Self-awareness isn’t a one-time achievement—it’s a lifelong journey and requires intentional practice. Every step you take to better understand yourself increases your ability to lead with humility, empathy, authenticity, and have a real impact. As you reflect on what you have read in this post, do you think are doing just fine with no significant issues? Does everyone consistently tell you things are great? Are you the primary source of feedback on how you are doing? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I encourage you to focus intentionally in the coming year on dramatically growing your self-awareness and begin to unlock your full leadership potential.
Good luck!
