I have been fortunate enough to have spent a lot of time with many of you, sometimes virtually, and other times in person with a brew in hand. We often find ourselves discussing what a great leader looks like. Naturally, I almost always land on my favourite topic of self-awareness.
Most of us go through our day assuming we know exactly how we come across to others. We have our routines and our reasons for the decisions we make. We believe we see our own actions with complete accuracy.
Research from organisational psychologist Dr Tasha Eurich suggests we are often mistaken. Dr Eurich found that 95% of people claim to be self-aware. The real figure is somewhere between 10 and 15%.
This gap highlights how many of us are operating with some significant blind spots. I think about this a lot during the self-awareness workshops I have run. We are all trying to do our best for our people. Realising that our own perspective might be limited is a useful starting point for anyone in charge of a team.
The 95% Paradox
Dr Eurich explains that self-awareness is not just about looking inward. It has two distinct parts. There is internal self-awareness. This involves knowing your own values and what gets you out of bed in the morning. It means understanding your natural strengths and the areas where you might struggle. Then there is external self-awareness. This is about knowing the effect you have on your team. It is understanding how your colleagues experience your leadership style.
Many of us are strong in one area and weaker in the other. Some leaders have a deep understanding of their own goals. They are often surprised when a direct report finds them difficult to talk to. Others are very sensitive to how they are perceived. They sometimes have no real sense of their own core motivations.
The most effective leaders manage to balance both. They have a realistic view of themselves and see their impact on others with equal precision. Dr Eurich also points out that simply asking yourself "why" you feel a certain way can lead to more stress. It often leads to a cycle of overthinking. She suggests asking "what" instead. Asking "what triggered this reaction" moves you toward a solution. It stops the rumination and starts the learning. Think about that during your next appraisal.
The Seniority Trap
Moving up the ladder brings a specific challenge. We often call it the seniority trap. As you gain more authority, the people around you become less likely to offer honest feedback. Your direct reports want to impress you, and your peers are busy with their own targets. You find yourself in an echo chamber. This is where those blind spots begin to grow. Your self-perception starts to drift away from the reality of how your team experiences you.
Dr Eurich found that experience and power can often work against self-awareness. Many leaders assume that years of experience automatically lead to better self-insight. We stop seeking out those "loving critics" who are willing to tell us the truth. This is why a data-led approach is vital for senior leaders. It provides an objective baseline that ignores your job title. It keeps you grounded. You lead the team you have in front of you.
The Predictive Index as the Mirror
In our workshops, we use The Predictive Index to act as that objective mirror. It moves the conversation away from subjective opinions and general assumptions. We move from saying "I think I am like this" to seeing how we are naturally wired. The behavioural assessment reveals the drives that govern our reactions and our decision-making.
This is where the internal and external dimensions of self-awareness finally meet. You get a look at your own patterns and how they are likely to land with your team. It gives everyone a neutral language to talk about leadership style. No one feels the need to be defensive because we are simply looking at the data. You begin to understand why certain parts of your role feel effortless and others require a lot of energy. It is like finally reading the instruction manual for your own brain. You start to see yourself from the outside in.
How to improve your self-awareness
In our workshops, we look at your ‘natural wiring’ that dictates how you show up every day. We use The Predictive Index to show three specific layers of your professional identity.
The first is your Self pattern. This represents your natural state and your core motivations. It is how you are wired to behave when you are at your most comfortable and under no external pressure. Understanding this is the foundation of your internal self-awareness. It shows you what naturally energises or drains you.
Then we look at your Self-Concept. This is your perception of how you think you need to adapt to be successful in your current environment. It highlights where you feel the need to stretch your natural behaviours to meet the demands of your role. If there is a significant gap between your Self and your Self-Concept, it often explains those feelings of exhaustion or the sense that you are constantly "on".
Finally, we have the Synthesis. This is the person your team actually sees. It is the combination of your natural drives and your current adaptations.
Instead of asking you "why" you lead in a certain way, I use these data points to guide you with "what" questions. We look at the gaps in your profile and ask: what drives are currently being stretched? What patterns do you notice in how you respond to your team's needs? What specific part of your natural style can you leverage to reduce the friction you are feeling?
This moves you away from overthinking and toward a specific strategy for how you show up on Monday morning. We are using the data as a map to navigate your own leadership journey more effectively.
Self-awareness is a continuous habit
Self-awareness is not a destination you reach and then tick off your list. It is a continuous habit. The best leaders I work with are the ones who stay curious about their own natural wiring. They are the ones willing to look in that objective mirror and adjust their approach for the sake of their team.
If our recent workshops have sparked some new "what" questions for you, or if you are curious about how your own Self-Concept is currently being stretched, reply to this email. We can grab a brew and look at what the data says about you.
Best of luck with your next hire.
Dave Crumby
Founder at 360 Talent Solutions | Certified PI Practitioner