How comfortable are you with who you are right now?

Self-awareness is the foundation of authenticity, and thus it is at the center of your compass.  You develop it by exploring your life story.  As you do this, you need to understand who you are at a deeper level.  This is hard work but an essential step in your development as a leader.  A foundation of self-awareness leads to self-acceptance and ultimately self-actualization so that you can fulfill your greatest potential.

Becoming Self-Aware by Balancing Intensity and Reflection

The charge to “Know Thyself” may be thousands of years old, but following this advice is not easy to do.  As human beings, we have many aspects to our character.  We are constantly evolving, as we test ourselves in the world, are influenced by it, and adapt to our environment–all to find our unique place.  But you must be true to yourself to achieve what you seek from life and overcome the obstacles you face.

Self-awareness should be the starting point in every leader’s development.

When Stanford Graduate School of Business asked its advisory council the most important capability for leaders to develop, their answer was nearly unanimous: self-awareness.  It is the center of your inner compass and an essential component of knowing yourself, discerning your passions, and discovering the purpose of your leadership.

Without being aware of your vulnerabilities, fears, and longings, it is easy to go off the track.  Gaining self-awareness begins with understanding your life story.

One of the most important skills leaders need to develop is the ability to see themselves as others see them.  Honest feedback is often hard to get, because far too many people tell leaders what they want to hear.  For this reason, authentic leaders have to seek out feedback.

This article was originally posted 8/28/15 on coachingtip.com