Written by Andrea Bruneau
Self-awareness is at the core of effective leadership. It allows leaders to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and emotional triggers, which significantly influences their behavior and decision-making. As leaders develop self-awareness, they become more authentic, adaptable, and effective in leading others.
Self-aware leadership is more than a trait—it’s a practice. It requires regular attention, willingness to learn, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths about oneself. But the reward is a more cohesive team, better decision-making, and a stronger, more resilient organization.
Here are practical steps any leader can take to enhance self-awareness and become better at guiding their team.
1. Seek Regular Feedback
Feedback from peers, subordinates, and supervisors provides valuable insights into how others perceive you. A 360-degree feedback assessment, for instance, can give a well-rounded view of your strengths and areas for growth. Beyond formal assessments, informal conversations about performance can also reveal important insights. The key is to actively listen and accept feedback without defensiveness. Instead, see it as an opportunity for growth, not criticism.
Action Step: Set up a quarterly feedback loop with your team, and make it clear that you genuinely value their input. Ask specific questions about areas where you could improve and how your actions impact the team’s morale or productivity.
2. Reflect on Experiences
Self-reflection allows leaders to learn from their experiences, both successes and failures. By setting aside time daily or weekly to think about recent interactions or events, leaders can recognize behavioral patterns that influence outcomes. Journaling is particularly effective for documenting reflections and drawing insights.
Action Step: At the end of each day, write down three things that went well and three areas where you could have acted differently. Over time, look for recurring themes to identify patterns that affect your leadership style.
3. Develop Mindfulness Practices
Mindfulness involves being present and fully engaged in the moment. Techniques such as meditation can help leaders become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, making it easier to recognize emotional reactions in real time. Practicing mindfulness can also help leaders stay calm and grounded in stressful situations.
Action Step: Start your day with a five-minute meditation to set a calm tone, or use breathing exercises before a challenging meeting to stay focused.
4. Establish Personal Values and Goals
Clarifying your core values helps align your behavior and decision-making with what matters most. Leaders who understand their values are better equipped to make consistent decisions and lead authentically. Furthermore, setting personal development goals based on these values can guide continuous growth.
Action Step: Write down your top five values and review them periodically to ensure your actions and leadership decisions align with those principles. Set one or two personal development goals each quarter based on feedback and self-reflection.
5. Observe Body Language and Nonverbal Cues
Self-awareness isn’t just about understanding your thoughts and emotions; it’s also about recognizing how you present yourself to others. Pay attention to your body language, tone, and facial expressions during interactions. These nonverbal cues can reveal your true emotional state, even if you’re unaware of it.
Action Step: Practice mirroring techniques during conversations to become more conscious of your body language. Record yourself during a meeting to observe your nonverbal behavior and make adjustments where necessary.
6. Engage in Coaching or Mentorship
Having a coach or mentor can provide an external perspective on your leadership style, helping to identify blind spots and offering constructive feedback. Leadership development programs with a coaching component often include tailored feedback, which can accelerate growth.
Action Step: Schedule regular sessions with a coach or mentor to discuss your progress and get feedback on specific behaviors you’re working to improve.
7. Challenge Your Assumptions
Leaders often operate on assumptions, which can limit their perspective and lead to biased decision-making. Questioning your beliefs and reasoning helps you avoid automatic thinking and encourages openness to new ideas.
Action Step: When faced with a decision, write down the assumptions behind it. Ask yourself if these assumptions are based on facts or if they need to be reconsidered. Seek out diverse viewpoints to challenge your thinking.
The Bottom Line
Improving self-awareness is a continuous journey that involves feedback, reflection, mindfulness, and proactive goal setting. As leaders grow in self-awareness, they can better understand their impact on others and make more intentional decisions. By taking these practical steps, leaders can strengthen their ability to connect with their teams, manage challenges, and lead authentically.
The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.