Seeing Self-Awareness Differently
Early in my leadership journey, I thought self-awareness was all about knowing my weaknesses. Or as people like to say, my “development areas.”
I could quickly list everything I wanted to improve: stepping back to see the bigger picture, not trying to solve everything myself, articulating the vision in my head so others could build on it, and speaking up more with senior leaders.
These were valuable goals, but they weren’t the full picture.
Discovering My Blind Spots and My Strengths
When I was preparing for a new leadership role, the coach I worked with led a 360-degree feedback process. It involved interviewing my stakeholders, peers, and team members to understand how they experienced my leadership.
What came back was eye-opening. Yes, there were areas to work on, but what stood out most were the strengths others saw in me. Some I already knew, but I hadn’t fully appreciated their impact. I hadn’t connected my strengths to the results they created or recognized how they set me apart.
Those insights became fuel for my next chapter. Growth didn’t come only from working on my gaps but from understanding and leaning into my strengths.
Shifting the Mindset
That realization changed everything. Self-awareness wasn’t just about knowing what to fix. It was about knowing what to trust.
Once I shifted my mindset and took the time to understand what energized me, what others valued, and what felt authentic, the constant second-guessing started to fade.
I made more intentional decisions. I delegated with more confidence. I knew when to lean in and when to step back and rely on others.
Self-awareness gave me more than insight. It gave me focus.
Why Self-Awareness Is the Secret to Leadership Growth
For me, and for many leaders I’ve worked with, self-awareness isn’t a one-time exercise. It’s an ongoing practice.
Here’s what that looked like in my own experience:
- I listened to feedback. Most of the time it confirmed what I suspected, but sometimes it surprised me.
- I noticed which tasks drained me and which ones energized me.
- I paid attention to the days I woke up eager to get to work and asked myself why.
- I regularly asked, “Am I leading in a way that’s true to me, or am I trying to be someone else?”
Those reflections helped me make conscious choices, ones that aligned with what made me unique and with the kind of leader I was still becoming.
From Reflection to Effectiveness
Now, as a coach, I see self-awareness not as a soft concept but as a strategic tool for leadership growth and professional development.
Understanding yourself doesn’t make you self-absorbed. It makes you more effective. It helps you build stronger teams, communicate clearly, and make decisions aligned with your values. It guides your priorities and gives you confidence in where you lead best.
When leaders cultivate emotional intelligence and genuine self-awareness, they stop overthinking and start leading with clarity.
Because self-awareness isn’t just about fixing what’s wrong. It’s about trusting what’s right.