The #1 Trait You Need to Become a More Effective Leader

Whether you are new to leadership or have been an executive leader for decades, there is one thing that we must consistently invest in to become a more effective leader – our self-awareness.

Developing and increasing our self-awareness gives us the ability to truly see the impact we have as leaders. We become more cognizant of how our actions, values, behaviors, habits, emotions, reactions, communication style, intentions – basically every aspect of who we are – affect how we relate to our teams, how they perceive us, and so much more. This awareness then leads to better decisions, more productive communication, and greater motivation in ourselves and within our teams.

Yet, like any superhero trait, becoming more self-aware requires courage to dive deep into the unknown, recognize and acknowledge the impact of our actions and emotions, and rely on trusted advisors to ensure that we are moving forward in our understanding of ourselves and how we are perceived by those around us.

Though there are many ways to increase your self-awareness as a leader, we have found through our work with executive leaders that these three exercises provide significant results.

● Getting a 360-degree assessment
● Strengthening your emotional intelligence
● Engaging in honest conversations with a trusted advisor

Each exercise provides valuable feedback that uncovers the blind spots that act as barriers to effective leadership while also giving insights as to how a leader goes about productively addressing those blind spots and becoming the leader they want to be.

360-Degree Assessment

The 360-degree assessment is an extensive process by which leaders gather feedback from their direct reports, peers, bosses, and other key stakeholders. Though it is not always easy to hear how others perceive us as leaders, the feedback is a game changer in becoming a more effective leader because it quickly reveals our blind spots and provides an awareness of what we need to change to achieve our personal and professional goals. For example, one of our clients who recently went through a robust 360 process learned that her team often felt unheard and unvalued. When she became aware that she needed to listen more and worked with a coach to identify strategies to help her do so, she became more motivated and confident in her leadership, and her team felt more connected and engaged.

Strengthening Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage our emotions and is a cornerstone of effective leadership.

When we recognize our emotions and know how we can make them work for us, we grow in our influence and leadership abilities. This allows us to empower others, practice empathetic leadership, productively resolve conflict, and more.

Emotional intelligence assessments such as the EQ-I 2.0 identifies where we are when it comes to our core competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. A coach certified in the specific emotional intelligence assessment can interpret the results and help leaders outline strategies that will target the areas that need the most improvement.

As leaders become more fluent in emotional intelligence, they will also begin to notice the emotional intelligence development within their direct reports, peers, and bosses. Then, through this increased awareness of themselves and their teams, leaders will be able to respond in ways that better influence, motivate, and effectively lead that individual.

In focusing on emotional intelligence, our executive leaders have made impressive advancements in their professional and personal lives.

Trusted Advisor

Inviting and engaging in honest conversations with someone we trust and know has our best interest at heart provides a valuable pathway to becoming more aware of what we are doing well and areas of growth. Consider a time when a friend shared something that may not have been visible to you. How did that understanding help in becoming the person or leader you are striving to be?

Developing and increasing our self-awareness gives us the ability to truly see the impact we have as leaders

When we open ourselves to the constructive feedback of trusted advisors, we notice what holds us back and propels us forward. We also welcome a means of accountability in that when our trusted advisors know what we want to work on, they can remind us during those times when chaos and old habits take precedence over what we are trying to accomplish.

What Next?

Gathering insights from 360-degree assessments, focusing on developing our emotional intelligence, and consulting with trusted advisors can bring forth a powerful self-awareness that makes us stronger leaders. Yet, the question that often follows is, “What next?”

An executive leadership coach or leadership/professional development program, such as our Leadership Evolution Program, designed to help leaders become more effective by focusing on developing their self-awareness, can be a great start to your journey. In addition, to facilitating these processes, leadership coaches and/or programs can help bring everything learned together. Then, determine the best way to apply the information so that personal and professional goals are achieved and growth continues.

To learn more about our executive coaching opportunities and Leadership Evolution Program, reach out to info@WinningWaysInc.com