What do you do if your self-awareness is lacking as a people manager?

1 Seek Feedback

One of the most effective ways to enhance self-awareness is by actively seeking feedback from your team. Create a safe environment where your team members can give honest feedback without fear of repercussions. This could be through anonymous surveys or one-on-one meetings. Listen attentively to what is said and, more importantly, what is not said. Feedback is a gift that can highlight blind spots in your leadership and provide insights into how others perceive your management style.

2 Reflect Daily

Developing self-awareness requires regular reflection on your actions and decisions. Dedicate time each day to think about the interactions you've had with your team. Consider the outcomes of meetings, decisions made, and conversations held. Reflect on what went well and what could have been handled differently. This practice not only helps in understanding your impact on others but also aids in making more conscious choices in the future.

3 Set Goals

After identifying areas for improvement, set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to enhance your self-awareness. These goals could range from improving communication skills to being more receptive to others' ideas. By setting clear objectives, you create a structured path for personal development and have tangible benchmarks to measure your progress as a people manager.

4 Educate Yourself

Education is a powerful tool for improving self-awareness. Engage in leadership workshops, read books on emotional intelligence, or take online courses focused on people management. These resources can provide you with strategies and frameworks for understanding your emotions and behaviors, as well as how to effectively manage and lead a diverse team.

5 Practice Empathy

Empathy is an essential component of self-awareness. Strive to understand the perspectives and feelings of your team members. Put yourself in their shoes and consider how your decisions and actions affect them both professionally and personally. Practicing empathy will not only improve your self-awareness but also build stronger, more trusting relationships with your team.

6 Monitor Progress

Finally, keep track of your progress in developing self-awareness. This could involve revisiting the feedback you've received, assessing whether you've met your SMART goals, or simply noticing changes in how you interact with your team. Monitoring progress helps ensure that you're moving in the right direction and provides motivation to continue working on this critical aspect of people management.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?