When people think of leadership qualities, it is widely considered that strong moral sense, organisational abilities and excellent communication skills are the most important to possess. However, research has shown that the most important quality of a great leader is, in fact, none of the above.
A survey of 75 members of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council rated self-awareness as the most important capability for leaders to develop. Executives need to know where their natural inclinations lie in order to boost them or compensate for them.
Toegel, G. and Barsoux, J-L. - ‘How to become a better leader’, published in MIT Sloan Management Review
This means that in an ever-changing, demanding world, you have to be equipped with the right tools to adjust to any work environment if you wish to succeed.
In order to thrive, we all need leaders who can listen without judging, who can discern both sides of an issue, as well as leaders who can equally show the way effectively and delegate tasks. And self-awareness is the trait that lies behind all these abilities.
Remember
Don’t be afraid to admit that you need to develop your self-awareness.
As a leader, you should aim for a greater understanding of your thinking, feelings and actions and how these have an impact on you, the people around you and the environment. As a result, you will have a clearer picture of yourself, overcome your biases and then adapt your leadership style accordingly.
Self-Awareness Quiz
1) On a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being complete, how self-aware do you think you are?
Listen to the podcast below to delve deeper into leadership effectiveness. Is it about who you are or what you do? What do you think?
Discover more from 3WH
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.