Here's how you can enhance your leadership effectiveness through developing self-awareness.

By improving your self-awareness, you'll boost your leadership skills by better understanding your strengths and weaknesses, ultimately leading to more effective decision-making and team management

Sun Tzu's adage, "Know thyself, know thy enemy," rings true in leadership. To excel, start by understanding your personality, values, and beliefs. Through introspection and feedback, anticipate your reactions and adapt your leadership style accordingly. This self-awareness fosters authenticity and empowers you to inspire others effectively.

If you are in a corporate setting, check if your company offers career assessment training. If not, seek one outside of your organization. Character and skill assessments can help define your comfort zone and leadership style, providing honest feedback. Should you decide to step out of your comfort zone, exploring other leadership styles may be beneficial if your current approach isn’t yielding the desired results.”

Improving self-awareness will increase leadership effectiveness. Recognize your advantages and disadvantages, ask for and receive feedback on your work, and engage in regular reflection. To stay focused and in control, control your emotions. To advance, learn to overcome obstacles. Encourage an inclusive and encouraging environment to empower others. Leaders can get a better awareness of who they are and how they affect others by putting these ideas into practice. This will ultimately lead to increased success and job satisfaction.

Understanding your own personality, values, and beliefs is crucial in the technology and healthcare sectors, where leadership often involves navigating complex client relationships and rapidly evolving environments. For an Account Executive or Customer Success Manager like Joan Bernard, this self-awareness can significantly enhance client engagement and retention strategies. By leading with authenticity and integrity, Joan can build stronger, trust-based relationships, ultimately driving sales growth and customer satisfaction in the competitive SaaS and healthcare technology markets.

Enhancing leadership effectiveness through self-awareness starts with regular self-reflection, and assessing your strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots. Seek honest feedback from peers and mentors to gain diverse perspectives. Embrace mindfulness practices to stay present and emotionally balanced. Understand how your actions impact others and adjust your behaviour accordingly. Cultivate empathy by actively listening and valuing different viewpoints. Use personality assessments to deepen your insight into your leadership style. Continuous self-improvement fosters authenticity and trust, making you a more effective and inspiring leader.

Constructive feedback is essential for continuous improvement in roles like Account Executive and Customer Success Management, especially in the fast-paced healthcare technology sector. Engaging in open dialogue with colleagues and mentors not only helps identify areas for improvement but also reinforces your strengths. Embracing feedback with an open mind can significantly enhance client engagement and retention strategies, ultimately driving sales growth and customer satisfaction.

Reflecting regularly is crucial for leaders in the technology and healthcare sectors, like Joan Bernard, who navigate complex client relationships and sales strategies. By setting aside time for reflection, leaders can better understand the impact of their decisions on customer success and engagement. This practice not only enhances self-awareness but also drives continuous improvement in client retention and upsell strategies, ultimately contributing to sustained sales growth and customer satisfaction.

People are what they are, given their own unique experiences & hardships in life. Bear this in mind to develop empathy & compassion. Remember that people can only behave to the level of their emotional maturity. The employer repeatedly tells his employees they should be more motivated. Yet, the desired results are not seen as the other side has its own perspective, which was neglected. It is just like the shopkeeper repeatedly saying, ‘This shoe fits me well; it must fit you too.’ Thus, the dictum: ‘Put yourselves in others’ shoes.’ People with high EQ empathize and use that awareness to guide their decisions. This makes them respond, not react, to problems; thereby, diffuse conflicts; solve problems & remain resilient through challenges.

Lifelong Learning: Nothing is more constant in life than change. What you learned last week may no longer be relevant a month from now. Teams evolve, needs shift, and the external workforce changes. Be flexible, stay curious, and adapt to team needs that are affected by life beyond the company walls.