Self-awareness is your most powerful leadership advantage

Mar 26, 2026 5 min read

Scientific research consistently shows that leaders with a deep understanding of themselves make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and inspire greater trust and loyalty in their teams. They are more accepting of themselves and others, experience higher levels of wellbeing, and demonstrate behaviours that are both consistent and constructive.

Self-awareness is knowing who you truly are and understanding your impact on other people. It encompasses your core values, preferences, needs, biases, strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, patterns of thinking, and emotional landscape.

When you are fully aware of your authentic self — and begin to understand how others perceive you — the path to transformative change opens before you. That is the promise and the power of self-awareness.

Exercises

Provided below are 2 exercises that can help you to raise your self-awareness in two key leadership areas.

1. The first exercise helps you reflect on your impact on other people. Is it aligned to what you want it to be?

2. The second exercise helps you to evaluate how open-minded you are. In todays complex business environment, you lead teams of various age groups and probably nationalities. It calls for an openness to diversity and the humility to be vulnerable.

Exercise 1

What is your impact on others?

It is surprisingly easy to lose sight of the effect our behaviour has on the people around us. Yet examining the reactions and responses we elicit is one of the most critical and revealing dimensions of becoming a self-aware leader.

The questions below will guide you in reflecting on the quality of presence and impact you are creating in your most significant relationships at work and in your life..

Step 1 — Identify the People Who Matter Most to You

Consider the key individuals and groups in your life:

◆ Direct Reports

◆ Peers

◆ Clients and Customers

◆ Manager

◆ Partner / Spouse

◆ Children

Step 2 — Define the Impact You Aspire to Have

For each of the groups above, answer the following:

"How would I ideally like this person or group to describe their experience of me?"

Team: e.g., empathetic, trustworthy, fair, inspiring...

Clients: e.g., reliable, professional, results-focused...

Partner / Spouse: e.g., supportive, present, emotionally attuned...

Children / Family: e.g., caring, consistent, encouraging...

Step 3 — The Honest Reflection

Now cast your mind back over the past week. If a neutral and perceptive observer had been watching your interactions with each of these groups, would they conclude that your behaviour is creating the impact you intend? Where is the alignment? Where is there a gap worth exploring?

Exercise 2

How Humble & Open-minded are you?

Humility means keeping our successes in perspective, having an appreciation for our weaknesses, and acknowledging the contributions of others.

For each item below, choose the number that best describes your behaviour in general. Try to look at how you are behaving, rather than how you wish to behave. When you have finished averaging your responses, review the guidelines on the next page.

1	2	3	4	5
Very Rarely	Rarely	Sometimes	Often	Very Often

………………1 I seek feedback, especially critical feedback

……………...2 I admit when I don’t know how to do something

………………3 I acknowledge when others know more than I do

………………4 I take notice of people’s strengths

……………….5 I compliment others on their strengths

……………….6 I show appreciation for other contributions

……………….7 I am willing to learn from others

………………..8 I am open to other ideas

………………..9 I am open to others' advice

Average	What it Means
1-2	Your current level of humility is low, and others might perceive you as arrogant or self-centred, which may be harming your relationships and preventing you from getting the most out of your team. The good news is that if you dedicate your time and energy to focusing on and admitting your weaknesses and recognising others' strengths, it will pay off a great deal.
3-4	Your current level of humility is moderate. Though others may not see you as completely arrogant or self-centred, you can likely improve your relationships and effectiveness by honing your humility. You might start by focusing on the behaviours where you rated yourself lowest. And by the same token, for the items with the highest ratings, consider whether you can focus on them even more often.
5	Your current level of humility is high because other people see you as down-to-earth and easy to work with; these behaviours give you a significant advantage. Take a look at the items above and ask yourself if you can enhance any of those behaviours. You might also think about how you can create a culture around you that inspires others to be humble- be it at home, at work, or in your community.

Exercises Reference: Tasha Eurich- Insight

Conclusion

The journey of self-awareness is marked with some amount of pain, fear and can be difficult because facing the truth about ourselves is never easy for anyone.

Whether we want to go inwards or seek feedback from others, we can be uncomfortable.

But if we want to grow, be more successful and have a more significant impact, then we need to embrace the discomfort and allow ourselves to face our truth with grace.

Otherwise, we will miss the opportunity for corrective action.

Alone, this is not easy work. Having a trusted person who can hold up the mirror for you with care and sensitivity can ease you into the journey of self-awareness.

If you’re reflecting on your leadership and want to go deeper, I’d be happy to support you.

Explore my coaching approach or reach out for a conversation.

Suggested Books

Insight by Tasha Eurich

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