Socrates once said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” You need to truly understand yourself, how you make decisions, how others perceive you, where you’re going, why you’re going there, and how you’re going to get there if you want to turn your goals into accomplishments.
If you want to be a better leader, becoming more self-aware is the best way to do it. It’s also the first step toward any kind of personal development or self-improvement goals. You cannot build a plan to get better without knowing your starting point.
Evaluating yourself is hard, but it’s often the differentiator between being good and being great. Great training managers understand that learning is a continuous journey. You can never reach the peak of leadership; you’ll always have more to learn. New technology, new people and new business strategies will alter the way you must lead your training team. Your role as a leader is to understand where you’re at, where you’re going and how to move to the desired end state with your team.
Self-awareness is the foundation of this understanding. It involves knowing your strengths and weaknesses, your values, your emotional triggers and how others perceive you. Research has consistently shown that self-aware leaders perform better, inspire greater trust and create more cohesive teams.
Self-awareness is the tool that allows you to recognize the impact of your actions and behaviors on others. A leader who lacks self-awareness may unknowingly create tension, reduce team morale or diminish creativity. However, a leader who understands their tendencies and blind spots can adapt their approach to meet the needs of their team. Self-awareness drives personal growth by identifying the areas you should focus on.
Self-awareness isn’t something you achieve once and for all. Rather, it’s a practice you cultivate over time.
Here are four questions you can ask yourself to become and remain more self-aware and target areas for growth:
1. What are my core values?
Core values are the principles that guide your decisions and behaviors. They reflect what matters most to you and act as your internal compass. By identifying and reflecting on your core values, you can ensure that your leadership aligns with them. For example, if one of your core values is integrity, consider whether your actions consistently uphold that standard. Are there moments when you’ve compromised your values? What could you do differently in the future? Understanding what you value is key to understanding how you make decisions — especially under pressure.
2. How do others perceive me?
Self-awareness includes understanding how others view your leadership. Seek feedback from colleagues, direct reports and mentors to gain insights into your strengths and areas for growth. Tools like 360-degree assessments can be particularly helpful in revealing patterns you might not see on your own. When receiving feedback, approach it with an open mind and a genuine desire to improve. Remember, perception shapes reality in leadership, and understanding how you’re perceived can help you build stronger relationships and trust. How your training team perceives you is typically accurate and valid feedback — even if you disagree — they are telling you how they feel. Your job is to listen and explore what you did to make them feel the way they do, especially if you feel differently!
3. What are my emotional triggers?
Emotions are a powerful force in leadership, influencing your decisions and interactions. Being aware of your emotional triggers can help you respond more thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Reflect on recent moments when you felt frustrated, defensive, or overly excited. What triggered those emotions? How did you handle the situation? Understanding your emotional landscape allows you to manage it more effectively, ensuring you don’t get caught up in your emotions when faced with a difficult task, conversation, or situation. Keeping your emotions regulated is a core leadership skill that many fail to understand. Your style is not to yell at your employees; you just don’t know how to regulate your emotions. Don’t hide behind these weak excuses as a leader. Focus on understanding and regulating your emotions.
- Where am I growing, and where am I stuck?
Leadership is a journey of continuous growth, but it’s easy to get stuck in patterns of comfort or complacency. Regularly evaluate your progress and challenges. What skills have you improved over the past year? What areas still need attention? Consider enlisting a coach or mentor to help you identify blind spots and set meaningful development goals. Growth requires effort and intention. You should regularly track and evaluate your efforts to determine what works. Enhancing your leadership skills takes time, but you don’t want to waste effort on things that don’t bring you any rewards. Tracking and evaluating progress will help you effectively improve your leadership skills over time.
Conclusion
Asking yourself these four questions isn’t a one-time exercise. Incorporate them into your routine, thinking about them every month or quarter. Over time, this practice will deepen your self-awareness and enhance your ability to lead your L&D team with authenticity and impact. Socrates’ assertion that “the unexamined life is not worth living” reminds us that introspection is a necessity for those of us seeking to live a purposeful life. For all leaders, this means looking inward to understand themselves better so they can serve others more effectively.
By cultivating self-awareness, you will not only improve as a learning leader but also inspire those around you to do the same. After all, the journey toward great leadership begins with a single, courageous step: the willingness to examine yourself.
