Merriam-Webster defines self-awareness as “an awareness of one’s own personality or individuality.”

Take a moment to write down a few skills that all great leaders have in common.

This is an icebreaker I like to use when I’m presenting at industry seminars or teaching leadership focused workshops.

Most leaders will list several of the well-known leadership skills. I might even give them kudos for using terms like Emotional Intelligence (EI). But rarely do I see self-awareness listed. Why is that?

It’s because most of us don’t think of self-awareness as a leadership skill, even though it’s one of the most vital leadership skills of all.

“A true mark of a great leader is their awareness of themselves, others, and their surroundings.” —An excerpt from Exactly Where You Want to Be – A Business Owners Guide to Passion, Profit, and Happiness by Nick Leighton

Self-awareness requires a conscious effort!

This means that self-awareness doesn’t come naturally. It doesn’t even come easily!

This skill requires you to invest time in figuring out who you are. Not just who you want to be, or who others think you are, but who you are deep down beneath everything.

Here’s 9-Steps to Self-Awareness:

Half of the journey of becoming more aware is simply recognizing you need to do it. If you’re looking to hone this leadership skill, try these 9 daily task that can help you move towards better awareness.

#1: Write Your Way— Write down one goal, three ways you can sabotage that goal, and three ways you can dodge that sabotage to succeed.

#2: Yawn— I’m not going to dive into a physiological explanation of why yawning helps. Just try it.

#3: Use a Mindfulness Alarm— Whether you use an app or a recurring reminder, taking a one-minute mental break to relax and focus on being mindful will reduce your stress levels and increase your productivity.

#4: Live Your Values— First you need to know your most important value, then you need to ask yourself daily if what you’re doing that day is fulfilling that value. (If you need help identifying your most important value, I provide a one-page strategic plan in my book here, that can help.)

#5: Take Pleasure Breaks— Spend one minute every hour doing something pleasurable.

#6: Trust Your Intuition— Trust it! If something doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.

#7: List Your Accomplishments— Make it a daily habit. Try taking a moment to also ask your family, friends, or team members what their daily accomplishments were.

#8: Use Fewer Words— Adopt a minimalist approach with your communication. Practice using big ears and a small mouth.

#9: Sleep Better, Think Better— It’s hard to be self-aware when you’re sleep-deprived.

Are you ready for your champagne moment?

I’m Nick Leighton and I’ve been coaching business owners and executives for the past 20+ years. I believe that with the right guidance and drive, you can achieve your business and your personal goals!

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How Self-Awareness is an Essential Leadership Skill, and 9 Ways to Help You Become More Aware

Take a moment to write down a few skills that all great leaders have in common.

“A true mark of a great leader is their awareness of themselves, others, and their surroundings.” —An excerpt from Exactly Where You Want to Be – A Business Owners Guide to Passion, Profit, and Happiness by Nick Leighton

Self-awareness requires a conscious effort!

Here’s 9-Steps to Self-Awareness:

Are you ready for your champagne moment?