Really enjoyed my conversation with Domenico Pinto in episode 39 of The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast. We talked about the global view of self-awareness and its impact, the importance of self-awareness in leadership effectiveness, its presence at all levels of an organisation, and effective ways to develop and maintain self-awareness.
Here are five of my top takeaways from our conversation:
1. Self-awareness is the way our actions and behaviours impact our surroundings, including people, animals, plants, and the environment. It’s a global view of self-awareness that considers the impact on everything around us.
2. The relationship between self-awareness and leader effectiveness is crucial. Highly self-aware leaders are more effective, and their empathy and self-awareness play a significant role in gaining trust and leading effectively, particularly during challenging times like a pandemic.
3. Self-awareness can be found at all levels of an organisation, and effective leaders can exist anywhere, from customer-facing roles to the C-suite. Self-awareness is like a virus – if you forgive the analogy- that infects people, and once it starts, individuals become unstoppable in their journey towards self-awareness and effective leadership.
4. Developing self-awareness involves sharing the journey, inviting feedback, and reflecting on our actions and our impact on others. Meditation, daily reflection, reading, and surrounding yourself with self-aware people are effective practices for maintaining and further developing self-awareness.
5. Effective coaching and support for people on their self-awareness journey involve empowering them to give and receive feedback, engaging in a journey together, and avoiding confrontational feedback. Self-awareness is a continuous journey, hence the title of my upcoming book, and acknowledging that leaders are also learning and evolving is crucial for their growth.