This is the most essential leadership skill of the 21st century

Hi from Gudrun Lind,

The further you go in leadership, the more critical it becomes to master soft skills rather than technical skills.?

Composure is a paradigm-shifting skill. In fact, it's the most essential leadership skill of the 21st century.

It's a state of being calm and in control, maintaining steadiness, especially in complex and challenging situations.?

It's about acting with thoughtfulness - instead of reacting.?

Leaders who act with composure know that:?

? Inner calm gives the advantage of a sharper mind, a broader perspective and better decision-making.

? Their most important asset is their internal state, their inner power - and they do not permit others to diminish it.?

? Sometimes, it's okay to lose battles to win the war.

When you feel yourself spiraling, ask yourself. Where am I??

You are either above or below the line at any point. To discover what that means, check this .

Practicing composure starts with a moment of awareness.?

The role of internal and external self-awareness

In a recent research by Eurich Group, most leaders believe they are self-aware when asked.

It was estimated that only 10-15% of them are actually self-aware.

There’s a massive gap between perception and reality.

Consider that there are two main types of self-awareness - external and internal.

The former is about knowing how others perceive you.?

Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with that (because it can strengthen your empathy), there’s a risk of worrying too much about other’s perceptions.

That may lead to a lack of authenticity over time if you′re trying to hard to conform to social norms (What others expect or want you to be).?

Internal self-awareness, on the other hand, is the crown jewel.

It’s about knowing yourself—your values, thoughts, emotions, actions, behaviors, strengths, and gaps.

It’s also about committing to learning about yourself and deeply exploring and understanding how your actions impact others.?

Constant change makes self-awareness even more essential

We constantly evolve as humans and professionals; your team members grow and evolve, too. The world is changing rapidly, as well.

There’s no manual to turn to.

Self-awareness is essential in leadership because it enables you to lead with intention and create rather than react.?

The lack thereof leads to internalizing negative emotions (caused by constant change, restructuring, adversity, etc.), which can lead to anger, disappointment, loss of self-confidence and a lack of fulfilment.

Externalizing those emotions is rarely effective, as it may result in conflict, blame games, and a toxic work environment.?

Further research also indicates that as leaders climb the corporate ladder, they become more confident - but also more self-absorbed. Higher roles are often more isolating, with fewer sources of honest feedback.?

That’s why self-awareness becomes even more critical as leaders advance.?

The first step is to acknowledge and accept that you may not be as self-aware as you may think. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s more common than you may realise.

It needs intentional practice.

Fortunately, a wide range of tools and frameworks, backed by research, can help you become more self-aware —for example, Insights Discovery.?

I have successfully used those tools with clients for a long time.?

It’s quite profound to experience when my clients begin to see themselves more clearly and their impact on others.?

What's next?

Join my 'Weekly Reset' newsletter, where I dive deeper and offer even more actionable leadership insights and personal stories—to help you step back, reset, and thrive in complexity.??

https://fierce-architect-1389.ck.page/thrivereimagined

#executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #ThriveREimagined