Play to your strengths. They are your greatest assets.
Great advice but easier said than done for some of us. Truly understanding your strengths and weaknesses is hard work. Humans are not born self-aware and it may take years of practice to know and understand ourselves. However, once you have mastered the art of self-awareness, its benefits can be applied to all aspects of your life, setting you apart from others.
What is Self-Awareness?
There are many different definitions out there. This particular one from verywellmind.com resonates in the context of what we are exploring – The ability to perceive and understand things that make you who you are as an individual, including your personality, values, actions, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts.
One of the biggest advantages or outcomes of heightened self-awareness is better management of self, others, and choices in various scenarios and situations. Understanding your motivations, reactions, and decision-making process will shape how you communicate or work with others, thereby improving relationships. In a 2017 study by the Myer-Briggs Company, respondents ranked these as the top benefits of being more self-aware. While the context of the study is about the workplace, the benefits go beyond that.
- Make better decisions.
- Are more confident leaders.
- Feel more confident in their contributions at work.
- Capitalise on their strengths more.
Here are some additional advantages that will help in our daily lives:
- Know stress triggers resulting in higher levels of happiness.
- Improve communication and relationships with others.
- More empathy in engaging others and influencing outcomes.
Useful Tools to Increase Your Self-Awareness
The good news is that we do not need to start from ground zero. At a young age, we develop some basic form of self-awareness and continue to do so as we learn about the world and ourselves, and interact with others in various settings. Self-awareness is a journey and here are three tools that could help you be more methodical in getting to know yourself. It is important to highlight that while there are free options online, it is recommended to work with a trained practitioner who will be able to help you maximise the benefits of each tool.
- The Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment
One of the most widely used assessments in the world to understand personalities and provide a constructive framework that can be applied to all aspects of human interaction and personal development. It sorts people into 16 personality types based on four dimensions:
- Where you focus your attention – Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I)
- The way you take in information – Sensing (S) or INtuition (N)
- How you make decisions – Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
- How you deal with the world – Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)
What is interesting about MBTI is understanding how the different personalities react in similar situations and interact with one another. In the context of a team, the ENTJ-type will likely be the leader who lays out the tasks and assigns duties. INFPs will be the group mediators who are empathetic to team members’ needs. The group’s social butterfly/entertainer will possibly be the ESFPs with their vibrant personalities and wit.
- The DiSC Profile
Similarly, the DiSC Profile provides a common language that people can use to better understand themselves and others in a team setting. This is especially helpful at the workplace where managers have to manage different personalities. Having the entire team go through the same profiling test will improve team communication, collaboration, and productivity. DiSC aims to discover what is one’s default or domineering behavioural style. Below is an overview of the four main behavioural styles.
- Dominance (D): Big picture person with emphasis on results. Tend to be confident and can be outspoken, blunt, or demanding at times.
- Influence (i): Place emphasis on persuading and influencing others. Tend to be enthusiastic, open, optimistic, trusting, and energetic.
- Steadiness (S): Dependable, sincere, and loyal. Likely calm, deliberate, and do not like to be rushed.
- Conscientiousness (C): Place emphasis on accuracy, quality, expertise, and competency. Enjoy independence, like details, and fear of being wrong.
Do all four styles resonate with you? It is not a surprise as every one of us has components of each style. It is also worth noting that no one style is better than the other and your domineering style can evolve with experience.
- The CliftonStrengths Finder
This study measures the intensity of your talents in each of the 34 CliftonStrengths themes, which are sorted into four domains of leadership strengths.
- Strategic Thinking: How do you process and analyse information?
- Relationship Building: How do you build and nurture strong relationships?
- Influencing: How do you influence others?
- Executing: How do you make things happen?
Knowing your unique CliftonStrengths profile will help you identify which areas you are most powerful in and how to leverage those areas to make your strongest contribution within a team. For example, there is a group project coming up and you are strong in strategic thinking. Armed with this knowledge, you can partner with individuals who are complementary to you, setting up a team that is strengths-based.
Your Journey Starts Now
Ultimately, these are just three of the many tools available in your self-discovery journey. It starts by being curious about who you are and how far you will go in pursuit of self-awareness. Often, how we see ourselves might be different from how others see us. Embrace the habit of seeking feedback and to self-reflect. Let go of any judgement to protect yourself. After all, we are all a constant work-in-progress to become better versions of ourselves!