Do you sometimes feel that you’re drowning in expectation (from your manager, team, peers, family, friends, or even yourself) – trying to do all that is required of you in terms of managing the day to day, taking on new projects and initiatives, and being creative enough to take your team and its results to the next level?  One more request from your manager, or your team, will put you over the limit.

You may feel out of sorts (or on a roller-coaster, not firing on all cylinders, an orchestra without a conductor).   Sometimes things flow effortlessly, and other times it’s an uphill struggle.  (Sorry, that’s enough mixed metaphors for one article!!)

There are considerable benefits if you can understand why you may feel that way, why you can sometimes procrastinate and become frustrated, and how you can get into the right state of mind when you need it, so that you can maintain your motivation, purpose and drive.

I know “self-awareness” is a bit of a buzz word these days, but it really is a key part of a leader’s tool kit.  People often sabotage their own success through perfectionism, fear of failure or making mistakes, or simply not playing to their own strengths.   Understanding your blindspots, stress triggers, decision making skills, preferences and behaviour enables you to appreciate yourself and those around you and manage situations more effectively.

There are a number of management tools such as Hogan Assessments, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) and Thomas-KIllman Conflict Mode Indicator (TKI™), which can give you greater insight into your behaviour and preferences.  Executive coaching can help to identify and address your specific concerns and needs, and develop your unique leadership skills.  And here are few other things to consider:

Habits: often our habits are stopping us from fulfilling our goals eg. sitting down to watch the TV at 8pm every night, when you could be learning a new skill.  If you changed certain habits, could you find the time to do actions that will help you achieve the success you’d like?

Self-motivation: you are responsible for your own motivation levels and how quickly you can bounce back if things don’t go to plan.  It’s your decision as to how you react, learn and move forward.

Fear of loss: this can be one of the major reasons we don’t achieve we want, as “now” feels comfortable and understood and change brings uncertainty.  Writing out a list of what you could lose from gaining your goals will help to put them in perspective.

Understanding more about the way you tick, how you will react in certain situations, and the triggers which can cause you to behave in different ways, will help you in your home or work environment.  This knowledge increases confidence and self esteem; important for everything you do.

Please contact us for more information on developing self-awareness to enhance your effective communication skills and leadership skills.

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