The last few weeks, we’ve been talking about why we believe in the importance of personal change and the role it plays in your career. The thing is, there is NO personal change without self-awareness.
And what’s so tricky about self-awareness? Well, people tend to think they’re WAY more self-aware than they are. When it comes to personal change, self-awareness is our guide toward growth, better decision making and improved relationships (all important aspects of having a successful career!).
The Importance of Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is more than just a buzzword; it’s the foundation upon which meaningful change is built. It allows you to understand the strengths, weaknesses, emotions and values that drive your decisions. For leaders, self-awareness is especially crucial for fostering a culture of growth and development. It’s not just about knowing yourself but understanding the impact you have on others. After all, one of the main reasons a person leaves their job is because of a bad manager or leader. (But that’s a topic for another day!)
How Self-Aware Are You?
No matter how self-aware you think you are, take this short quiz to find out! Try to be as honest as you can with yourself. Keep track of the number of A’s, B’s, C’s and D’s you choose.
1. When faced with a stressful situation, do you:
A. Know why you’re stressed and try to address the root cause?
B. Feel overwhelmed but not sure why?
C. Avoid thinking about it or distract yourself?
D. Blame external factors without considering your role?
2. Can you easily identify your strengths and weaknesses?
A. Yes, I’m very clear about them.
B. Somewhat, but I struggle to articulate them.
C. I know my strengths but not my weaknesses.
D. I haven’t given it much thought.
3. How often do you reflect on your actions and their impact on others?
A. Regularly, it’s part of my routine.
B. Occasionally, when reminded.
C. Rarely, only when there’s a problem.
D. Almost never.
4. When you receive criticism, how do you react?
A. Reflect on it and see how I can use it for growth.
B. Feel a bit defensive but try to understand the perspective.
C. Dismiss it if I don’t agree.
D. Take it personally and feel upset.
5. How well do you understand the reasons behind your emotions?
A. I usually know why I feel a certain way.
B. Sometimes I understand, sometimes I don’t.
C. I often feel confused about my emotions.
D. I rarely consider why I feel the way I do.
6. Do you recognize how your mood affects your behavior and decisions?
A. Yes, and I try to manage my mood to make better decisions.
B. Somewhat, but it’s hard to control its influence.
C. Not really, I act on how I feel without much thought.
D. I don’t see a connection between my mood and my actions.
7. How often do you set aside time for self-reflection?
A. Daily or almost daily.
B. A few times a week.
C. Rarely.
D. Never.
8. Can you easily identify your personal values and how they influence your life?
A. Yes, my values guide most of my decisions.
B. I have a general idea but don’t always follow them.
C. I’m not very clear on my values.
D. I haven’t thought much about my values.
9. How do you approach challenges or failures?
A. As learning opportunities to grow.
B. With hesitation, but willing to learn.
C. I try to avoid them or feel overwhelmed.
D. I blame external circumstances or others.
10. When interacting with others, are you aware of their feelings and perspectives?
A. Yes, I’m very empathetic and considerate.
B. I try to be, but it’s not always easy.
C. Sometimes I overlook how others might feel.
D. I focus more on what I think and feel.
Scoring and Interpretation
If you haven’t already, total up your A’s, B’s, C’s and D’s. Refer to the key below.
8-10 A’s: Advanced
Congrats! You know yourself pretty well. That’s impressive! You possess a deep understanding of your emotions, behaviors and the impact they have on your life and others. You’re proactive in using this knowledge for personal growth and development.
5-7 A’s: Developing
You’re on the path to understanding yourself better but may need to focus more on recognizing how your actions affect others. Set aside some time to take a deeper exploration into your emotions and values.
3-4 A’s or a mix with B’s: Beginning
You’re just starting to explore the concept of self-awareness. You recognize its benefits and have embarked on more reflection and feedback seeking to enhance your understanding and growth.
Mostly C’s and D’s or less than 3 A’s: Initial
You’re at the starting line. The first step: Embrace the idea of self-discovery through reflection on your actions, emotions and their drivers to ultimately better increase your self-awareness. Consider how your personal values align with your life.
Enhancing Your Career through Self-Reflection
So, what did you discover about yourself in the assessment? How self-aware are you? Whether you’re an expert or not, the only and best way to increase your self-awareness is through the practice of self-reflection. (Check out our super short video on self-reflection for 3 great questions to ask yourself.)
When it comes to your career, here are some really helpful things to spend time reflecting on:
- Your strengths: What are you good at right now (not what you aspire to be good at)? How do your strengths help you in your career/job/role? How can you leverage or enhance your strengths to help you get to the next level?
- Your areas of opportunity/growth areas: What could you be better at? What skills do you need to work on? How would improving in that help you get to the next level?
- Your own needs: What needs are important to you right now? How do those needs motivate you? What needs are currently met? What needs are currently unmet? What do you need to do to meet your needs?
- Your company’s needs: What needs does your company have? Do you meet them? How can you better meet their needs?
- Shared Success: How can you align your needs and your company’s needs? How can you create a win for both of you?
- The way others experience you: How do others experience you? Is that the way you want/intend to be experienced?
- The way others experience themselves around you: How do you make others feel about themselves? What can you do differently?
Successful Self-Reflection Tips
Self-reflection is a powerful tool in your journey to self-awareness. Here are some tips to make your self-reflection successful.
- Set aside time. If reflection doesn’t come naturally to you, be purposeful about it. Make time in your calendar to think about some of the above questions.
- Use a journal. Keep track of your thoughts, feelings and action ideas in one place, whether it’s a physical journal or digital. Then, record the outcomes of the decisions you make. Over time, patterns will emerge that can offer insights into your behaviors and motivations.
- Seek feedback. Constructive feedback from peers, mentors or managers can provide an external perspective on your strengths and weaknesses.
- Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness and meditation can help you become more aware of and in tune with your thoughts and feelings.
- Set goals. Have a clear purpose for your self-reflection to make it more focused and productive. A specific goal can make it easier to uncover insights and take actionable steps toward growth.
The best way to grow your career is to focus on the personal change required to meet that goal. Making successful personal change requires a strong sense of self-awareness. And the best way to be self-aware? Is by practicing regular self-reflection. Make some time to get started today!
Think your team or company could benefit from personal change and self-reflection? Our e-learning tool, GrowWise, is based on self-discovery and delves into this topic, plus a lot more. Reach out to schedule a demo.