11 Questions to Become a Great Self Aware Leader

Have you reflected on what made you the leader you are today? Have you taken inventory of your experiences; the stories that have shaped you as a leader? Can you articulate your value to your market; your employees?

Great leaders are self aware. They have a sound understanding of their abilities and attributes. They know their values, both personal and organizational; and they know where they overlap. They can share with you how they execute those values with valor; demonstrating specific situations through stories where they have had to do the hard right versus the easy wrong. They can show you where they have had to set the example, lead selflessly and much more. They also know how to interpret their value to their customers; those they lead and the organization they represent.

If you are not a self aware leader, have you asked yourself why?

The decline is personal responsibility in our nation has led many to blame others for who they are, where they are and their status in life. You may not be one of those individuals who blame others, if so great, blame yourself. Your ability to effectively lead, grow as a leader and subsequently grow effective leaders starts with your own self awareness.

The truth is we all have the ability to shape ourselves and our outcomes. It requires some reflective time to assess you; to become aware.

How do you become self aware?

You start by asking yourself three questions:

1. What are your values?

2. Where do your personal values and the organization’s values overlap?

3. What is your mission and objective as a leader?

Just as your organization has its own mission and value(s) statement, you too should have your own. You should know them and your team should know them. If you don’t know what they are, how can you lead to your full potential? How do you create one? You start by assessing yourself, your mission, objectives and value(s).

Ask yourself some great questions. Then answer them, write them down and assess them. You may be surprised by your answers.

Here are a few more questions to continue the process:

4. Why should anyone follow you as a leader?

5. What is your reputation as a leader?

6. What ‘value’ do you add in your leadership role?

7. Who or what has influenced you to be the leader you are today?

8. What leaders do you admire and why?

9. What was the last leadership book, audio program or seminar you studied and shared with your workers?

10. Do you share your leadership stories; if so, when?

11. What is your personal leadership strategy or do you just ‘wing-it’?

These questions are not the end. They are merely the beginning. There are many more questions to be asked. My question to you is this; do you have the answers?