Self-Awareness: An Important Factor in Personality Development

As you may already know by now, I am back at Manhattan College this semester teaching the ‘Human Behavior in the Organization’ class. In class #2, we will talk about self-awareness.

Self-awareness is a core personality strength that can help us manage our businesses, our careers and our lives. When we lack self-awareness skills, we tend to make the same mistakes and encounter the same obstacles over and over again. But when we know where our unique strengths and limitation lie, we’re better equipped to face challenges, solve problems, choose our battles, make decisions, and predict the outcomes of those decisions.

How Can Self Awareness Training Support Our Professional Development?

Successful career planning starts with a set of ambitious but realistic goals. And a strong sense of self-awareness can help us choose these goals and adjust them as we move forward. When we keep a cool head and tune out the clamor of other people’s expectations, we gain a clearer picture of where we want to go and what tools we possess that can help us get there. We find the will to pursue opportunities that can help us, and the courage to say no to those that can hold us back.

Could your self-awareness use a boost? Consider these tips.

1. Recognize repeating patterns. Are the same kinds of hassles and setbacks dogging you time and again throughout your career? Are you noticing that these problems don’t seem to challenge others the way they challenge you? It may be time to tune into your patterns and find out what they can teach you.
2. Once you recognize a repeating pattern, act. Don’t just become a victim of the next wave. Make a change, take a stand, take a risk, but do what you have to do to break the cycle.
3. Be prepared for a long and difficult road. People are creatures of habit, and since gaining self-awareness can mean breaking entrenched habits, the path to change may not be easy. But stay focused. Be patient and don’t give up.