Tag Archives: self-awareness

The Truths We Embrace

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“The truth,” Riley started, “is that we have assembled the greatest team in our industry.”

“Impressive,” I said. “And your evidence?”

“This past year, we had record sales and the largest market share among our competitors,” he announced.

“I will agree with the statistics, but you were talking about the truth, you said you have the best team.”

“Doesn’t it follow?” Riley stiff-armed. “That the best team wins?”

“Sometimes,” I replied. “Sometimes not. You believe you have the best team and that is why you exceeded your sales targets. That is your position, your belief. It feels good because it agrees with your world view. But what truth are you ignoring because it doesn’t fit your world view?”

“I’m not following,” Riley resisted.

“How much of your revenue came from a single customer? How much of your revenue came from a single salesperson? I’ve seen those statistics as well. Your biggest chunk of revenue, that put you way over the top came from one customer on a single non-recurring project. And without that one project, your sales would have suffered the biggest drop in five years. If nothing changes, next year does not bode well. Do you believe you will get lucky again, or do you have some work to do?”

Halt, Where Are You Going?

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“I want to take an inventory of my strengths and weaknesses,” said Olivia, somewhat excited.

“What for?” I asked.

“I think it’s important for us all to be more self-aware,” she replied.

“Why?” I pressed.

“I’m sorry, I thought you would support my interest in some self-reflection.”

“Self-reflection is fine, it’s a worthy pursuit, but for the purpose of what? Let’s say you take a complete inventory, a strength here, a weakness there. And, your observations are absolutely accurate. So what? What have you really accomplished?”

“Well, I would be more self-aware,” Olivia was a bit exasperated.

“Compared to what? A strength here, a weakness there, compared to what? Your inventory is just an inventory. I want to know where you want to go. What does life look like, feel like, taste like in your imagination of the future? What is your next destination on your journey? What is its color? Who is with you? What it your purpose in traveling there?

“When you get clarity in your vision and purpose, then self-reflection will be helpful. Understanding your strengths that will power your journey, facing your faults that might stop your journey, that’s the real value of self-awareness. Before you take an inventory, tell me where you are going.”

Clothes for the Emperor

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The emperor has no clothes, the onlooker said, to the gasps of others. It’s easy to identify in other people. “Only when the tide goes out, do we find out who’s been skinny dipping,” said Warren Buffet.

Who is the emperor? Pogo says the enemy is us. Why is that such a surprise?

We figure out the world as it stands, at least in relation to our small circumstances. We are comfortable. We build our lives on the routine. The biggest mistakes are made when times are good.

The world changes. The first step in the cycle of loss is denial. The tide goes out and reveals our exposure, and we are the last to see it.

Seeing nakedness in other people is easy. Not so much for self-awareness.

In the Gap

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Humans possess the unique quality of awareness. Not only can we hold a thought, but we can simultaneously be aware we are holding that thought. Awareness allows us to change.

The first level of Emotional Intelligence (EI) is awareness. Self-awareness creates the platform for self-management.

The second level of Emotional Intelligence is social awareness. Social awareness creates the platform for relationship management.

For difficulties in either level, ask yourself – What am I not aware of?

This requires you to be quiet and observe – What am I not clearly seeing, clearly hearing, clearly feeling?

This requires defined periods of focused introspection – What is the cause of my response to the events around me? What is the influence to my behavior?

Awareness is that gap between stimulus and response, between what is coming at us and how we respond to it. In that gap is our choice. In that gap is awareness.

We have the unique ability to be aware. Awareness can have a powerful impact on the problems we solve and the decisions we make.

The Smartest Person in the Room

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Don’t try to be the smartest person in the room. Dialogue is not to see who is right and who is wrong. Dialogue is about discovery.

The most important discovery is self-discovery. Have the humility and the courage to allow other team members to see your authentic self. It is your authentic self that needs the help.

The Underlying Problem

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Often, the problem we seek to solve is only a symptom of something underneath. We examine the symptom to identify its root cause. And, sometimes, even root cause analysis fails us.

Sometimes, the root cause does not lie in the problem, but in the way we see the problem. The way we talk about a problem is a function of what we believe, our assumptions about the problem.

Does the way we state a problem have an impact on the way we approach the solution?

What we say is what we believe.

Before we grapple with the problem, it is important to understand our beliefs and assumptions about the problem. It could be the problem is not the problem. The problem could be what we believe about the problem that is simply not true.