As I reflect on my last 10 years as a CEO for private and public companies in the defense, security, logistics and education spheres, I’ve come to recognize one skill that I believe is lacking and even ignored but in my opinion is extremely critical for the growth and success of individuals, teams, organizations and customers: SELF-AWARENESS!!!
Self-Awareness may be one skill that is the most deficient and least discussed among leaders today but possibly one of the most valuable for evolution. Self-awareness is being conscious of what your strengths and weaknesses are while accepting and acknowledging that you can always learn and improve. This includes admitting that you don’t have all the answers and owning up to your mistakes and shortcomings. Because whether you acknowledge your weaknesses or not, others still see them. The person who tries to hide weaknesses actually highlights them, creating the perception of a lack of integrity and self-awareness and this negatively impacts their leadership ability. I’ve also noticed that leaders who lack self-awareness also try to transfer their insecurities, weaknesses and failures to others. They play the “blame game” and no one wins in the long run.
Share
