How can you practice self-awareness to boost your emotional intelligence?

Listen to those who interact with you the most. If you respect them, if you trust them, and they really see who you are. . . .that feedback is gold. a) you care what they think b) you trust their intentions c) they know you. This can be your spouse, your family, your friend, we don't listen enough to those who know us. (yes, definitely me too).

Another way to become more self-aware is to take some psychometric personality assessments. I like the DiSC because when you understand the four main types, it gives you insight not only into your own style, but the styles of those around you as well. My partner and I used to have a recurring misunderstanding, and when I learned about the DiSC styles, I was able to explain to him why it kept happening. Now when it occurs, one of us will laugh and say that my "high D" communication style strikes again! I also like StrengthsFinder as a way to understand my natural tendencies and things that come easily to me. I'm looking for my next work opportunity, and I have my top five strengths, my DiSC style, and my Myers-Briggs type on my resume.

I've kept a journal since I was a teenager, and one thing I will add to this is that if you are using a journal to develop self-awareness, it's important to go back and read what you've been writing periodically. If you don't, it's far too easy to forget about what you've been processing.

Many leaders dismiss journaling as ridiculous or a waste of time and unintentionally overlook a valuable practice that could enhance their self-awareness, decision-making abilities, and overall well-being. Embracing journaling as a tool for self-reflection can lead to increased self-awareness and more effective leadership, even in the midst of busy schedules. They need to challenge their own resistance to their own development. By taking a moment to jot down thoughts, feelings, and experiences, leaders can gain valuable insights into their own behaviors, patterns, and reactions. Journaling for self-awareness ultimately leads to more effective self-management and better overall decision-making.

In the same vein as the post above, while being more attentive to your own voice, body movements, content of your words keep a video memories in your head of the reaction of others of all kinds to YOU…. as you enter a room, look at other’s nonverbal expressions, and as you interact with people in many contexts. When you leave a store, have you been an uplifting or gentle constructive influence with strangers? Were you your best self despite pressures on you? At work or home, do the same & ask yourself if you gave those you know the highest version of yourself for what you have to offer? What can you do to grow in ways you admire? What do you need to grow? What’s the plan? Not the career plan. The tough plan: the plan of YOU.

Complacency, pride, and ego are the leading factors that dehumanize a leader. In the battle for the hearts and minds of our followers, leaders must have the courage to remove their armor and display their vulnerabilities, and, subsequently, express their humanity. A leader’s armor represents their position and authority, and when a leader bluntly relies on that armor for protection, primarily against commitment, criticism, and competence, they become guarded, distant, and apathetic. Leadership is a relationship-based process that lives on a reciprocal scale, and despite popular opinion, the follower and their perceptions are just as important as the leader in this relationship.

Three thoughts to help a leader remove their armor: ? Complacency: Your men and women will not take the hill if you’re simply yelling commands from the safety of the rear; lead from the front, and when you can’t, follow diligently. ? Pride: The true strength of any team lies within its individual members, and to unlock that strength, a leader must remove the constraints of micromanagement and allow adequate space for individuals to grow. ? Ego: We must never lose sight of the fact that we are only as good as the men and women who follow us; alone, we are no more than individuals who solely possess a vision.