I believe that the best leaders are self-aware leaders. Daniel Goleman, a pioneer in the subject of emotional intelligence, writes in the book Primal Leadership, “Self awareness means having a deep understanding of one’s emotions, as well as one’s strengths and limitations and one’s values and motives. Perhaps the most telling (though least visible) sign of self-awareness is a propensity for self-reflection and thoughtfulness” (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002).
As we lead the people with whom we are entrusted, I believe that it is absolutely critical that we know why we are doing what we are doing, to what end we make the decisions we make, and the ultimate motivation for taking our team down the path which we choose. Without our intimate knowledge of what makes us tick, we run the risk of leading the people who trust us to a place that is less than the best we could be and wasting our most valuable resource: time, which we can never retrieve.
So I spend a lot of time thinking and reflecting on the things I’ve done and the things I can envision and in seeking what I believe is the best use of my and my team’s time, talent, and treasure. Reflection isn’t easy and it’s not quick. It can take a great deal of effort, energy, emotion, and time. However, when I get to the end of my time on earth, I want to be able to say that I didn’t waste a moment of the precious time I was given. Only by taking the time to reflect can I be assured that I am on the right path and that I am leading in the very best possible way.
If reflection is a difficult thing for you to make time for, here are three tips from the things which I actually do.
I write in a journal. I can show you years and years of journal entries in which I worked through challenges, victories, opportunities, and more. Sometimes the entries are triumphant, sometimes they are wrenching, but they are always bluntly honest about how I feel, and my desires to make my life, and the life of those around me, better.
I have a private place where I think. In my study at home, I have a thinking chair. In this chair I read, I write, I pray, and I think. When I sit in this chair, I am able to put the rest of the world aside. I don’t do anything else in this chair. It has a specific purpose so when I sit in it, my mind knows why I’m there.
I find time for solitude. There are times when I make sure that I’m alone with my thoughts. Sometimes it’s while I garden or while I’m away from the office. Sometimes I’ll be surrounded by people whom I don’t know, but I speak to no one. It’s just me, God, and my thoughts.
I’ve found that I am a better leader because I seek to know myself on a deep level. I encourage you to do the same level of reflection. Lead well.