A511.7.3.RB – Self-Awareness
On this week’s
module, the opportunity to reflect on self-awareness and the effect it has on
your behavior and how it helps living and acting on the basis of your core
values has presented itself. Having self-awareness can provide anyone so much
feedback of his or herself. Understanding your background as a leader will help
you in avoiding common mistakes that unaware leaders do. Moreover, when a
leader is in charge of an organization, it is imperative to evaluate your inner
skills to contribute morally ethical-based behaviors. “Authentic leaders have
positive core values such as honesty, altruism, kindness, fairness,
accountability, and optimism” (Yukl, 2013, p. 361).
In
the article, Getting personal on the topic of leadership, Rob Goffee and Gareth
Jones (2006) emphasize the large amount of leaders who are incapable of
self-examining themselves; and therefore, their sense of what works for others
is null. Anthony K. Tjan, the author of How leaders become self-aware, point
out the importance of self-awareness. He believes that, “it is self-awareness
that allows the best business-builders to walk the tightrope of leadership:
projecting conviction while simultaneously remaining humble enough to be open
to new ideas and opposing opinions” (2012, para. 3). In a similar manner,
Goffee and Jones (2006), find that leaders develop self-awareness skills from
interacting with their followers. In that regard, leaders tend to learn how
people observe them and in the same way, how their knowledge can be utilized to
manipulate other’s perception, while attempting to create an identity for them.
In other words, “they know who they are and what they believe” (Yukl, 2013, p.
361).
When
we concentrate on what we truly believe and where our passion comes from, the
leading path becomes more attainable and we truthfully become inspirers. Learning
to identify our core values help to, “motivate authentic leaders to do what is
right and fair for followers, and to create a special type of relationship that
includes high mutual trust, transparency (open and honest communication),
guidance toward worthy shared objectives, and emphasis on follower welfare and
development” (Yukl, 2013, p. 361). Therefore, the biggest core values I hold
myself truthful to are being honest or having integrity, humility, and being a
team player.
Being
honest or having integrity is one of my biggest core values I live by and tend
to expect the same from others. In my short experience as a leader, I have come
across many circumstances where my honesty has been appreciated rather than
penalized and I believe that helps followers into following the same path. I
certainly believe there is no excuse for not being honest with someone. Honesty
provides a person with honor, someone who is willing to take charge of his or
her own responsibilities. Additionally, if you are honest, that means you take
your job or your duties seriously and in return, you are a trustworthy leader.
Leaders with honesty qualities, “have a high degree of self-acceptance, which
is similar to emotional maturity” (Yukl, 2013, p. 361).
Another
core value that I like to pursue is humility. I am a true believer that respect
for others goes a long way and followers truly appreciate it. In my current
position as a leader, all my followers know me for always asking please, for
being polite, and also for working hard and doing everything they do as well.
Every night, we are responsible for cleaning our department and that includes
taking the trash out inside and outside the building. It is never a pleasant
job since you may find yourself with dirty bag and strong smells, not counting
if you come across a broken bag and spill unknown liquids on you. But the truth
of the matter is I need to teach them that no title will stop them or me from
getting the job done. Not only that, but I encourage them to do it with a smile
in their face.
Lastly,
it is all about being a team player or in other words, a servant leader. “A
servant leader must attend to the needs of followers and help them become
healthier, wiser, and more willing to accept their responsibilities” (Yukl, 2013,
p. 359). While guiding a group of followers, it is important to remind myself
that whatever I do, it is not about me anymore, but about seeing my
subordinates succeed. A team player is a bridge between a goal and reaching it.
To
conclude, by analyzing my main core values, I am developing a close
understanding of what distinguishes my differences. Goffee and Jones stated
that leaders that work at this art, “in particular they become aware of what is
different about them that makes them attractive to others. They learn to use
these differences to their advantage in a leadership role” (2006, para. 5), and
that is what I intend to do.
References
Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2006). Getting personal
on the topic of leadership. Human Resource Management
International Digest, 14 (4), 32-34.
Tjan, A. (2012). How Leaders Become Self-Aware. Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from
https://hbr.org/2012/07/how-leaders-become-self-aware/
Yukl, G.
(2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
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