Reflection: Why is Self Awareness Important to Leaders?

He that would govern others must first master himself. You need to lead yourself before you can lead others.

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As Nissan has highlighted in his podcast, there's no such thing as an objective reality when we deal with people. We have our own reality, sometimes it's in sync with others and sometimes it isn't. Being self-aware and open to the fact that people have different perspectives is crucial. Ultimately, our perspectives and beliefs lead to our actions. When these actions yield positive results, our beliefs get stronger. So we need to start recognising our beliefs and the thoughts that guide us.

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We're going to take some time to reflect on the takeaways from Nissan's podcast and how you can apply these insights.

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This reflection activity will take 10-15minutes. Find a quiet space, turn off your notifications and think through the questions. Can't do this now? No problem, just block time in your calendar to complete this reflection. You can use the 'Notes' function to gather your responses, or if a pen and paper works better for you, grab your supplies and settle in.

1. Why is self-awareness important to you?

2. List 4-5 beliefs that seem to guide you.

3. Think about the last 3 times you were angry or upset. What triggered you in those instances?

4. What are some steps you want to take now that you know your triggers?

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Try out the activity that Nissan likes to do. Dedicate a journal to your daily reflections. Every day, spend some time to process the day that went by. Think about what went well, what didn't, and why. This practice helps you cultivate self-awareness and be intentional about how you want to grow as a person. It's also a great way express yourself and gain clarity.

As Nissan says, being self-aware is like getting a root canal, it may not be pleasant but it needs to be done and will be well worth it.