Socrates’ guiding rule was, “Know Thyself.” As a leader, it’s as true as can be. It may be uncomfortable, but consider taking 10 minutes right now to think deeply about yourself and answer these questions to become more clear on who you are as a person, and as a leader.
- What am I drawn toward accomplishing in my life?
- What really inspires and motivates me?
- What situations bring out the best in me?
- When do I often kid myself about my own true motivations?
- How do I want to be remembered when I’m not around?
- What is my essential leadership style? What kind of leader am I?
- Why would anyone want to follow a leader like me?
- What is my purpose in life?
- How do I leverage my purpose through my work?
- Essentially, at my core, who am I?
Self awareness is one of the essential building blocks in the development of extraordinary leadership. Why? Because knowing yourself well will help you make the best decisions possible throughout the day, about what you should spend your limited time and energy on, to add optimal value, leverage the passions of others, and get meaningful work done.
One of the most difficult challenges as a leader is managing yourself. You’ve got to consider what you say, how you say it, and when. You must know your audience. You must know when to bite your tongue, and when to show your emotions. You have to manage your presence, while being completely authentic and true to who you are. How can you manage yourself if you don’t know yourself?
You may have just skimmed over the above questions. If you did, do take the time soon. Copy and paste them, or print this blog. Take time to reflect on who you are, and what really matters. Then move forward in your development.
Self-awareness is essential to extraordinary leadership because the best leaders…
- Know what they are truly passionate about
- Understand their limitations
- Are clear about their purpose in life
- Give value to their gut instincts
- Understand their personality
- Look out for their own self-deception
- Know with whom they have trouble interacting
- Appreciate what energizes them, and drains them
Whether you use the Myers-Briggs, 360-degree feedback, performance reviews, informal feedback, or any other approach, it’s critical that you do what you can to create greater self understanding.
Know thyself, so you can LeadPeople to achieve extraordinary results.
