Blog 2: Self-Awareness – Before You Can Lead Others, You Have to Know Yourself
Self-Awareness in Leadership: Why Knowing Yourself Comes First
Discover why self-awareness is the cornerstone of leadership. Learn how tools like EQ and Working Genius reveal blind spots and build authentic confidence.
Before You Can Lead Others, You Have to Know Yourself
Self-awareness isn’t a soft skill—it’s the cornerstone of leadership.
Early in my career, I was confident and driven… but also pretty blind. Research by organizational psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich shows that while 95% of people believe they’re self-aware, only 10–15% actually are. I was one of the 85–90%.
A self-assessment cracked my certainty wide open. It revealed ego, stubbornness, and lack of reflection. I thought they were the problem. Turns out, it was me.
Leadership Humbles You
Through failures, feedback, apologies, and mentors, I started to see myself more clearly. One blind spot? My defensiveness when my team was criticized. I wasn’t protecting them—I was reacting out of my own insecurity.
Over time, I learned to spot patterns, understand my wiring, and lead with more clarity. Tools like Working Genius showed me the work that energizes me—and what drains me. At SemitaCor, we extend that reflection with EQ, MBTI, DISC, and Enneagram—layered with AI-powered insights—to hold up a mirror leaders can trust.
Self-awareness isn’t just knowing your strengths. It’s naming your blind spots, recognizing emotional triggers, and choosing to grow through them.
The Shift That Changed My Leadership
I used to lean hard on my charisma and high extroversion to rally people around my ideas. Now, I pause. I listen fully. I work to understand before galvanizing. That shift turned leadership from pushing my vision to meeting people where they are and guiding forward with clarity.
Because before you can lead others, you have to know yourself. And the journey inward? That’s where real leadership begins.
