Question
One of the five elements of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. What behaviors would someone with strong self-awareness demonstrate within the context of leading and managing groups? Provide an example.
Please use the 6th edition APA including the reference.
Answer
Self-awareness is concerned with a person’s ability to accurately make judgments about their own performances. It also concerns how people respond to varying social situations. In leading and managing people, having a better understanding of oneself is important. It allows leaders to make changes in their areas of weaknesses as well as strengthen the positive characters that they possess. Therefore, having a strong self-awareness is important for leaders as it influences how they lead and manage their subjects.
As a leader and a manager, possessing a strong self-awareness gives them the capability of acknowledging moods, emotions and drivers of behavior, as well as the effect that such behaviors have on other people’s performance and one’s own performance. Having a strong sense of self-awareness allows leader to understand why the emotions appear (Gallagher & Costal, 2012). The leaders understand their strong and weak points and thus are able to leverage on them to help people in delivering the objectives of the organization. Leaders with a strong sense of self-awareness are also open to criticism. They view criticisms as important evaluative elements that help them to improve on their leadership and managing skills.
Leaders and managers with a strong sense of self-awareness are able to take bold steps and make critical decisions in the groups that they lead and manage. They are able to understand the ideas of their subjects and thus incorporate them in their decision-making process for positive outcomes in the entire organization (Showry & Manasa, 2014). Self-awareness promotes confidence in tackling the leadership issues that may afflict a group. The leaders and managers are also able to offer intelligent solutions within the groups that they manage or lead.
References
Gallagher, D., & Costal, J. (2012). The self-aware leader. Alexandria, Va: ASTD Press.
Showry, M., & Manasa, K. V. L. (2014). Self-awareness-key to effective leadership. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 8(1), 15.