Friday, January 14, 2011

Self Awareness

At what extent we are aware about ourselves. It can be related from everything, how you talk, how you walk, how you behave and more importantly, how you are within as a human being. We must have different perceptions about ourselves. I know one person who was working in largest media house. He perceived himself as the most eligible CEO candidate. His major perception was that the organization can not run without him well. Whatsoever organization is doing, all is due to his leadership efforts. In fact organization is doing much better after his exit.
 
You must have seen the similar people in world who have exorbitant views about themselves. Everybody, including successful executives has blind spots; however we do not wish to check these blind spots. We create positive or negative impressions on the community due to these blind spots. Most of the times, it is negative, due to unawareness about the SELF.  

We do not want to be taught or learn when it comes to our personality. This is more difficult to the seniors. I had interacted one senior person to whom I had given the feedback that he was extra perfectionist resulting delay in decisions. He had lot of justifications like history & dynamics of the organization. (Afterwards, I came to know that that was a tactic to delay decisions and save his skin. We call such people, oily wrestler) He was not aware about this at all. He perceived this as his great leadership style.      

We normally learn to identify our strengths and weaknesses. But I am not sure, how we try to focus on development areas. When I interview candidate, most of candidates speak about their strengths, but when ask about their weaknesses, it goes very difficult to them to answer. We never try to actually identify these areas.

I personally think that making aware about SELF is the journey within you. This is very difficult and off course long journey. But at least, we can take small step and try to improve developmental areas. For example improving on body language, eating habits, communication styles etc etc. The better way to do it have a feedback from well wishers, friends, colleagues and family members.  You can expand the known area and reduce the blind spot.    

Self awareness includes, knowing your emotions, your personality types, your overall disposition, your behavioural pattern and everything which is known as soft skills. In totality how you are as the person. If you don’t remove the blind spot, you will not be able to develop yourself as a human being and even professional.

(Please refer Johari Window to understand the blind spot available on Google.)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good one. The problems in society is due to this only. Keep writing.

Anonymous said...

Feedback is the best way to remove the blind spot. But people do not take the critical feedback positivey. Request you to write on something on this.

Amar Kokil

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