Deepening self-awareness Research by psychologist Tasha Eurich has shown that true self-awareness is so rare that only 10% to 15% of people have this trait. People tend to focus on their inner awareness, such as their feelings, values, and strengths.
They don’t spend enough time on their outer awareness—how others see them. Her mailing list australia research shows that the most self-aware people have a balance of internal and external awareness. “Leaders must actively work to see themselves clearly and get feedback to understand how others see them.
Another reason people lack self-awareness is that they don’t ask the right questions. Most people naturally think about a situation by asking “why. “It turns out that asking ‘why’ is a surprisingly ineffective self-awareness question Eurich said.
Unconscious thoughts and feelings lead people to invent answers that may sound right, but are often wrong. To become a resilient leader, instead of asking “why?” ask “what?” For example, don’t ask “Why did this person rate my communicability so low?” Instead ask “What steps do I need to take to create a culture where people feel safe to share ideas and take risks?” Asking “what” forces you to focus on solutions rather than getting bogged down in unproductive ideas.