Self-awareness
Definition of self-awareness
In psychology, self-awareness refers to an individual’s understanding of his or her own traits, behaviors, motivations, thoughts, emotions, strengths and weaknesses.
It is an introspective exploration and analysis of the self, involving both self-observation and self-evaluation. It encompasses various aspects of personal identity, such as sense of self, self-efficacy, self-esteem and self-reflection.
This deep self-awareness can enable the individual to navigate the social world more effectively, make informed decisions and pursue meaningful personal development and growth.
It also involves understanding how others perceive you and how they react to your behaviors. Self-awareness is sometimes referred to as a “meta-competency”, as it helps you develop other soft skills.
How do you recognize a person with strong self-awareness?
A person with strong self-awareness generally displays a number of distinctive characteristics.
- Firstly, they are highly introspective, able to clearly understand and articulate their own feelings, motivations, values and desires.
- Secondly, she is generally very authentic, acting consistently with her beliefs and values, even in difficult situations.
- Thirdly, she tends to be open to criticism and feedback, using this information to improve and grow.
- Fourth, strong self-awareness often leads to high self-esteem, not in the sense of arrogance, but rather self-confidence and self-respect.
What’s more, these people often have a strong ability to manage their emotions. They understand their own emotional reactions, can identify the triggers of their emotions and have developed strategies to effectively manage their emotions, both positive and negative.
Finally, a person with strong self-awareness is often more resilient in the face of adversity, because they understand that failures and setbacks are opportunities to learn and grow, rather than reflections of their self-worth.
How can we develop self-awareness?
Developing self-awareness requires an active, ongoing process of self-reflection and self-assessment.
Start by devoting time to introspection, examining your thoughts, feelings, values, motivations and reactions to different situations. Journaling can be an effective tool for this.
Seek constructive feedback from people you trust to gain an external perspective on your behavior and attitudes.
Practice mindfulness to help you stay centered and focused on the present moment.
Finally, accept and confront your weaknesses while recognizing your strengths, and be open to growth and change, as self-awareness is a journey that evolves with time and experience.
Praditus is an online personality and competency assessment tool that helps individuals better understand their personality traits, motivations, interests and competencies.
By providing detailed feedback based on a series of questions and scenarios, Praditus can help individuals become aware of their strengths, weaknesses and preferences, which is a key element in developing self-awareness.
The tool can also help identify areas for personal and professional development, provide suggestions for improving interpersonal competencies and aid career planning. In short, Praditus offers a structured self-assessment opportunity that can complement other methods of introspection and self-reflection.
Why is self-awareness often cited as a prerequisite for competency development?
Self-awareness is often cited as a prerequisite for competency development, as it forms the basis from which an individual can identify his or her strengths, weaknesses, interests and motivations.
Without a clear understanding of these aspects, it can be difficult to know which competencies require the most development, or which direction to take for personal and professional growth. For example, a person may struggle to improve their ability to work in a team if they don’t recognize that they tend to be dominant or withdrawn in group situations.
In addition, self-awareness can help align competency development with personal values and aspirations, increasing motivation and the likelihood of success. Finally, it helps us understand how we learn best, enabling us to adopt more effective learning strategies.
Resource :
https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it