The Courage of Self Awareness

"One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go."— Sheila Murray Bethel

Self-awareness is the first step in personal and professional success.

The following questions are taken from one of Windridge's earlier newsletters (2008). These questions are great for those moments of stuckness we all find ourselves in from time to time.

Ask yourself:
Where Am I?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?
What are my possibilities?
In what areas do I do my best work?
What are my preferences, values and priorities?

Where Do I Want to Go?

What do I want to change?
What do I want to keep the same?
What do I want to have happen?
In what time frame?

What Sacrifices are Required?

What special efforts or changes may be needed?
What am I willing to let go of in order to achieve my goals?
What conditions, beliefs or actions no longer serve me?

Personal Development Process

Create your vision of a desired, future condition (result).
Translate your vision into action – set specific goals that stretch you.
Be clear about what benefits you will gain in return for the effort expended toward your goals.
Take ownership of your goals – be committed.
Determine the critical steps, resources, timing and obstacles to achieve your goals.
Adjust your activities and / or behaviors to help you move toward meeting your goals.
Be flexible – develop alternative plans. Monitor and measure your progress.

Moving Forward:

Solicit feedback.
Hire a coach to help you identify and then clarify your action steps.
Take a behavioral assessment such as the Winslow Behavioral Assessment to gain a clearer understanding of your strengths and areas you might want/need to improve.
Contract with peers to follow up on your progress.
Compare your progress with your plan and target dates.

Developing self awareness is not an easy-weekend project, it is a lifelong assessment and re-assessment of one's commitments, dreams, strengths and weaknesses. And in the end "Well done is better than well said." — Benjamin Franklin
(Portions of post adapted from a leadership seminar at the University of Washington's Michael G. Foster School of Business.)

Comments

Perfect Comfort Food - Pumpkin Apple Bread

A perfect comfort food, especially when spread with cream cheese, Pumpkin Apple Bread has become a tradition of mine every autumn – Enjoy! Pumpkin Apple Bread from Celebrate the Rain - Seattle Junior League 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg (can use freshly grated) 1 tsp ground cloves ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground allspice 2 cups (16 ounces) pure pumpkin puree (I use fresh / steamed and pureed pumpkin – you may also use canned) 2 ¼ cup sugar 4 eggs, lightly beaten ¾ cup vegetable oil 1 large or 2 medium Granny Smith apples: peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch dices Cinnamon Sugar Topping 5 Tbs sugar 1 Tbs all-purpose flour 1 Tbs butter at room temperature 1 (heaping) tsp cinnamon For the topping – Combine sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon. Blend with fork to an even, crumbly texture. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking s...

Anniversaries

“If I could only turn back time to the place we left behind – I’d find you there...” Happy and sad—bitter and sweet… Birthdays and days of passing—weddings and funerals… Public festivities where extended friends abound—private retreats where only close friends, family or Time spent in solitary reflection, enough to fill one’s soul. This weekend is the anniversary of my mother’s passing 26 (short) years ago. When I think of all the things she’s missed: Her granddaughter’s growing up. Getting to know her two grandsons-in-law. Watching her two great-grandsons’ and one granddaughter's lives expand. Traveling around the world to see them and be a part of their lives. She is also missing: Tea with me and the adult conversations we would now be able to have; when she passed away, I was 32 and in the middle of caring for young children, raising horses and taking care of the farm. We could now sit, two women, expanding our relationship deeper and farther than ...

A Simple "Hello"

Not to start on a negative, but this is one of my pet peeves...people who send condolences or RSVPs, a written invitation or congratulations or any other such personal communications in an e-mail. I mean really, how sincere is it when the receiver knows that this is something you popped off on your iPhone while waiting at the dentist? As Alan Weiss points out in his Balancing Act Newsletter, “Texting ‘I feel 4 U’ is not the same, somehow, as writing four sentences of sympathy and support. We can all afford the ten minutes.” In this day of “instant” everything, have we forgotten how to pick up a pen and a piece of paper? Here’s an easy way to make sure this type of “never have time for” correspondence doesn’t happen to you. Purchase five cards or post cards. Purchase stamps. (These first two steps are honestly the hardest part of this!) Put your favorite music on, settle in and think of five people you love and “never” write because you “never” have the time. Possibly one of your five ...

Windridge Reflections

Search This Blog