How to Know If You Lack Self-Awareness (and what to do about it)
I'm sure many of you have been in the same position as Sarah.
You have a boss who asks you to do something that you're not sure is a good idea, but you go along with it anyways. In Sarah's case, her boss asked her to participate in a DISC personality profile assessment.
She was skeptical at first, but she decided to give it a try. Now she wishes she had done it sooner!
Because for Sarah, her personality profile assessment confirmed many of the things she already knew about herself. This increased her self-awareness and gave her self-assurance.
Understanding her profile also helped Sarah to understand what drove her and why she excelled in some areas but was less motivated and successful in others.
With this knowledge, she began to understand how others saw her and how she might interact differently with others around her.
Sarah quickly became more self-aware and confident. If you're like Sarah and want to be more self-aware, keep reading...
Self-Awareness - What is It?
Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly and objectively.
It's about knowing your strengths, blind spots, values, and motivations. It's also about understanding how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors affect other people.
The ability to see ourselves is referred to as internal self-awareness.
This is when we're aware of our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We're able to step back and examine ourselves without being influenced by outside factors.
External self-awareness is when we're aware of how other people see us.
This is sometimes referred to as social awareness or emotional intelligence. This includes understanding how our behavior affects them and being able to take their perspective.
Self-Awareness - Why Is It Important?
"Know thine own self." - Socrates
Socrates was on to something when he said this over 2,000 years ago. Because to be successful in life, we must know ourselves. When we're self-aware, we're able to make better decisions, communicate more effectively, and develop deeper relationships.
Self-awareness also allows us to lead more effectively. To lead others, we must be able to understand our motivations, values, and emotions. We must also be aware of how our words and actions impact those around us.
It's important to have both internal and external self-awareness because they work together to give us a more complete picture of ourselves.
Think about it this way...
If you're only aware of your own thoughts and feelings, you might not realize how your behaviour is affecting others. Or, you may have a skewed view of yourself because you're not considering how others see you.
On the other hand, if you're only aware of how others see you, you might find it difficult to stay true to yourself. You might start people-pleasing or become a chameleon, changing who you are to fit what others want.
When we lack self-awareness, we're more likely to make bad decisions, say and do things that hurt others, and have difficulty sustaining meaningful relationships. We may also find it difficult to understand why we're not achieving the success we want.
How Do I Know If I Am Lacking Self-Awareness?
So how can you tell if you're lacking in self-awareness?
Here are some signs to look out for:
- You're quick to judge others without understanding their perspective.
- You find it difficult to take feedback or criticism.
- You have a hard time seeing your blind spots (weaknesses).
- You're unable to understand why you're not achieving the success you want.
- You consistently make the same mistakes.
5 Minute Quiz - How self-aware are you?
Rate your self-awareness on a scale from 1 to 10.
- How much do you really understand your values, goals, strengths, and blind spots or weaknesses?
- How well do you know your triggers and how to manage them?
- How self-aware are you of your impact on others?
The Good News About Self-Awareness!
Self-awareness is a skill that can be developed.
And the more self-aware we are, the more successful we're likely to be in life. Here are some suggestions for how you can become more self-aware:
- Get feedback from others. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues for honest feedback about your strengths and blind spots. Be open to what they have to say and look for patterns in the feedback you receive. more aware of your inner thoughts and feelings.
- Like Sarah, complete a personality profile assessment. There are several powerful, reputable personality profile assessment tools including DISC and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment.
- Keep a journal. A journal can be a helpful tool for exploring your thoughts and emotions. Writing regularly can help you to become more aware of your inner world and it can also be therapeutic.
- Practice mindfulness. This is the practice of being present in the moment and observing your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Mindfulness can help you to become more aware of your inner thoughts and feelings.
Self-Awareness - The Bottom Line
Each one of us is called to lead - ourselves and others.
Self-aware leaders can more readily adapt to change and understand their strengths and blind spots. They also know how they come across to others and can manage their emotions in a way that doesn’t interfere with their ability to lead.
Do you want to be a better leader?
Start by working on your self-awareness. One great way to do this is by taking a DISC personality profile assessment. This will help you gain insights into your tendencies and preferences, as well as the things that make you unique.
Once you have this information, you can begin to work on developing the areas that need improvement. With time and practice, being self-aware will become second nature to you and it will impact every area of your life, from your relationships to your career.
Call to Action:
Start working on your self-awareness today by:
- Taking a personality profile assessment.
- Gaining insight into your tendencies and preferences.
- Start playing to your strengths.
Your friends,
UpCloseTeam
