Harnessing Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness in Leadership

Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

There’s an age-old saying that goes something like this: “If you can’t lead yourself, how can you lead others?” Now, while we don’t have a concrete record of who said it first (maybe it was that wise sage from your last team-building seminar), one thing is for sure: it’s a nugget of wisdom that’s been passed down through the ages. And today, we’re going to take a deep dive into that wise old adage and explore how self-awareness plays a starring role in the grand theater of leadership.

Imagine a scenario: you’re the fearless captain of a ship, navigating through turbulent waters, and your crew depends on you to chart a course to safety. Now, in this high-stakes nautical adventure, you’d better know a thing or two about your ship, right? The size, the weight, the condition of the sails, and even the number of life vests onboard. Similarly, as a leader, your ship is your team, and self-awareness is your navigation tool. It’s your compass that guides you through the often stormy seas of leadership.

So, what exactly is self-awareness in leadership? Well, it’s all about knowing your strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and how they impact your decisions and interactions with your team. It’s about recognizing that you, too, are a work in progress and that you can’t always control the weather, but you can certainly adjust…