Self-Awareness!
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Abstract
Self-awareness is the ability to identify your feelings, behaviours, and characteristics to be able to comprehend your cognitive, physical, and emotional self. It makes you understand that you are yourself, which is different from others. Being aware of yourself includes taking notice of your actions, thoughts, senses, and feelings (study.com, 2023). This means having a clear perspective on your personality, which does not comfort but disturbs and disrupts (Sparks, 2023). By understanding yourself you gain full control over your life and fully live in the present moment (Barayeva, 2023). But thinking about yourself isn´t knowing yourself (Eurich, 2023). You must go through the deep end to face your own shadow to gain personal transformation (Sparks, 2023).
Self-awareness is also a crucial aspect when it comes to project management. It helps the project participants, especially the project manager, understand their strengths and weaknesses. Understanding yourself can contribute to a more successful and effective project delivery, as well as to a more fulfilling and satisfying work experience. As for a project manager, it helps to understand their impact on others and adjust their leadership style as needed (Waters, 2014). It also helps project managers better understand their own biases and blind spots to build a more inclusive and diverse project team and make fair and equitable decisions (Mitchell, 2020).
By investing time and effort into developing self-awareness a person can expect to see benefits in their own personal and professional development, as well as in the success of the projects they manage.
Definition of self-awareness
Description of the meaning of self-awareness
Self-awareness is an introspective process that involves being aware of one's thoughts, emotions, and actions. It is a critical aspect of human life because it enables individuals to understand and manage their behavior, thoughts, and emotions. Self-awareness involves the ability to reflect on one's thoughts and emotions and examine how they influence one's behavior. It is the ability to understand one's strengths and weaknesses, personal preferences, and values, which play a vital role in shaping one's behavior.
Self-awareness as part of emotional intelligence
Self-awareness is one of the core components of emotional intelligence, a set of emotional and social skills that enable individuals to understand and manage their emotions and those of others. Emotional intelligence comprises four main components: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence because it helps individuals to understand their emotions and how they affect their behavior, enabling them to manage their emotions and improve their decision-making.
Effects of self-awareness
Effects on yourself
Self-awareness has several benefits for an individual's personal growth and development. When you are self-aware, you are better equipped to manage your emotions, thoughts, and behavior, enabling you to make better decisions, manage stress, and improve your relationships. Here are some of the effects of self-awareness on yourself:
Improved Emotional Intelligence: Self-awareness is a critical component of emotional intelligence. By understanding your emotions, you can better manage them, enabling you to handle stress, build relationships, and improve your decision-making.
Better Decision-Making: Self-awareness helps you to understand your values, beliefs, and personal preferences, enabling you to make better decisions that align with your goals and aspirations.
Improved Relationships: Self-awareness enables you to understand how your behavior affects others, enabling you to build better relationships. By understanding your emotions and thoughts, you can also communicate your needs and feelings effectively, which can improve your relationships.
Increased Self-Confidence: When you are self-aware, you are more confident in your abilities and are less likely to be influenced by external factors. You can make decisions that align with your values and goals, which can boost your self-confidence.
Enhanced Self-Regulation: Self-awareness enables you to regulate your emotions and manage stress better. You can identify triggers that cause negative emotions and develop coping mechanisms to manage stress, which can improve your overall well-being.
Effects on others
In addition to the benefits for the individual, self-awareness can also have a positive impact on those around them. Individuals who are self-aware are better able to understand and empathize with others. This can lead to improved communication, stronger relationships, and greater team cohesion.
Self-aware individuals are also more likely to be effective leaders. By understanding their own strengths and weaknesses, they are better able to delegate tasks and build a team that complements their own skills. This can lead to improved performance and greater success for the team as a whole.
Finally, self-aware individuals are more likely to be open to feedback and willing to make changes based on that feedback. This can lead to improved performance and greater success in personal and professional relationships.
How to become more selfaware
Self-awareness is a journey that requires conscious effort and practice.
Internal and external self-awareness
There are two types of self-awareness: internal and external. Internal self-awareness involves understanding one's own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. External self-awareness involves understanding how others perceive us and how our actions impact others.
To become more self-aware, it is important to focus on both internal and external self-awareness. This can be achieved through self-reflection, seeking feedback from others, and engaging in activities that promote self-awareness, such as meditation or journaling.
Developing self-awareness skills
Start by paying attention to your thoughts and emotions, particularly in situations that trigger strong reactions. Journaling, mindfulness practices, and therapy can also help you understand your internal experiences better. Engaging in activities that allow you to reflect on your values, goals, and beliefs, such as meditation or retreats, can also increase self-awareness.
The importance of feedback
Seeking feedback from others can help you understand how others perceive you and highlight areas for improvement. Solicit feedback from people you trust, and be open to constructive criticism. Pay attention to patterns in feedback, and consider how your behavior aligns with your intentions.
Ask "what" instead of "why"
When reflecting on a situation, try asking yourself "what" questions rather than "why" questions. Asking "what" questions can help you focus on specific actions, whereas "why" questions can lead to rumination and self-blame. For example, instead of asking, "why did I mess up that presentation?" ask "what could I have done differently to make the wiki article better?"
Benefits for project management
Self-awareness has several benefits for project management, including the following:
Leadership adjustments
Self-aware leaders are better equipped to lead their teams effectively. They can recognize their strengths and weaknesses, delegate tasks appropriately, and adjust their leadership style to meet the needs of their team. Self-awareness also allows leaders to identify when they need to seek input from others, such as when making tough decisions.
Inclusive and diverse team building
Self-awareness can help project managers build diverse and inclusive teams. When individuals are self-aware, they are more likely to recognize their unconscious biases and actively work to overcome them. This, in turn, can lead to a more diverse and inclusive team, which can lead to better project outcomes.
Making better decissions
Self-awareness can also lead to better decision-making. When individuals are self-aware, they are more likely to recognize their emotions and biases, which can impact their decision-making. By acknowledging these biases, individuals can make more rational decisions and avoid making decisions based on emotions.
Conclusion
Self-awareness is an essential trait for personal and professional development. It enables individuals to understand their thoughts, emotions, and behavior, leading to better decision-making, improved relationships, and higher emotional intelligence. To become more self-aware, individuals should engage in activities that allow them to reflect on their thoughts and emotions, seek feedback from others, and ask "what" questions when reflecting on situations. In project management, self-awareness can lead to better leadership adjustments, diverse and inclusive team building, and better decision-making. Overall, self-awareness is a critical skill that should be developed and practiced in all aspects of life.
