How much do we really know about ourselves? How much self-aware are we? One research conducted by a team of psychologists says that 95% people believe they are self-aware. The reality, however, is that only about 15-20% people are truly self-aware. Therefore, we may believe that we are self-aware without actually being so!
What is Self-Awareness?
Self-Awareness or ‘know thyself’ means having a deep understanding of one’s own emotions, strengths & weaknesses, our needs and drives, values and goals. People with strong self-awareness are honest with themselves and with others. They recognize how their feelings affect them, other people and their job performance.
Sridhar is an executive who deals with demanding clients in his job. By being high on self-awareness, Sridhar recognizes the impact of this on his mood and feelings. He turns his anger and frustration into creating an exemplary experience that brings to the client something to cheer about. Sridhar, clearly, is strongly driven by the larger purpose of creating a set of happy and satisfied clients for his organization.
As a self-aware person, Sridhar would exhibit:
- Self confidence
- An ability to self-assess himself; know his strengths and weaknesses
- An ability to seek feedback to improve oneself
- An ability to manage one’s emotions and feelings
As the above quoted research confirms, most of us are not self-aware. Left to our own, we are likely to remain largely clueless. Even if we are aware, we may not know how to build or enhance our self-awareness. We may go through our jobs and assignments very mechanically or by treating them as a burden. This would mean a sub-optimal performance and a woeful waste of talent and opportunity we may be presented with.
Role of a Professional Coach
If you aspire to be like Sridhar, you could greatly benefit by the efforts of a professional coach. The coach would use the results from a behavioural or personality assessment and help you build self-awareness. More importantly, the coach could also:
- Encourage you to reflect on and identify your strengths and weaknesses
- Provide you valuable feedback
- Ask questions to help you identify what drives and motivates you
- Examine your feelings and emotions – what helps and what hinders
- Help you move forward and take actions – to achieve your prized goals
This valuable and holistic experience can open new vistas for you to build leadership at an individual level – ‘Lead Self’ successfully. With enhanced creativity and greater confidence, the clear benefits that emerge for you in the context of your workplace can be all or a combination of:
- Enhancing your skills by recognizing what you do well and what you need to improve
- Raise your happiness levels by aligning your beliefs and values with your actions
- Become a better communicator
- Strengthen work and personal relationships by managing emotions well
- Become a better leader by understanding how seniors and co-workers perceive your behaviour – i.e., prepare yourself to lead others successfully
- Increase work motivations by seeking out true passions etc.
So, what are you waiting for?
Seek out the experienced coaches from the industry at Korporate Ladders for an outstanding coaching experience. Design your personal learning journey and take the right steps for a planned career planning and progression. Experience exhilaration – in more ways than one – as your true growth unfolds!
Korporate Ladders is a career progression platform that aims to help working professionals realize their true potential. Our goal is to help and assist early and mid-career stage corporate executives – like you – achieve your career and personal aspirations. We offer a bouquet of services such as professional resume creation, personality – skill assessment, interview preparation to corporate coaching, career progression plan and job search assistance that can surely expand your horizon and make you stand out from your peers and competitors.
