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Erin, welcome to unlearning work, where we empower you to redesign your job by rethinking work habits, behaviors and strategies. I'm your host. Erin Merideth, a work behavior enthusiast and leadership strategist, join me as I explore various work related topics and provide practical insights and real life examples. We'll examine the nature of work from the ground up and deliver bite sized episodes with actionable advice twice a month.
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Hello and welcome to unlearning work. I'm Erin your host, and today we're diving into a powerful topic that sits at the heart of personal and professional transformation, self awareness. So as we step into this new year, many of us are setting goals, reflecting on the past and planning for the future. But have you ever noticed how some goals seem to stick while others feel impossible to achieve? The answer often lies in our habits, those unconscious patterns that dictate how we act, think, and even how we approach our work.
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So let's uncover the transformative power of self awareness and how it can help you break free from the habits holding you back, align your actions with your goals and create lasting, meaningful change.
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What is self awareness and why does it matter for work and goal setting? So let's start with the basics self awareness at its core is the ability to understand who you are, how you're seen by others, how your emotions, behaviors and decisions impact the world around you. So in a work context, it means understanding your strengths and weaknesses, being aware of how you show up in a team, and recognizing how your actions can influence outcomes. So at the beginning of this new year, it's really a great time with filled with goal setting and fresh starts. Self awareness is your foundation for success. And why is that? Because the goals you set are only as effective as your ability to recognize what's working, what's not working and what you need to change. So without self awareness, you might find yourself chasing goals that don't align with your values, getting stuck in unproductive habits or hitting roadblocks you don't understand.
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Self awareness in the workplace, what's the problem with it? Well, here is a surprising and a bit alarming statistic. Researchers have found that while 95% of people think they're self aware, only 10 to 15% actually are. That means the vast majority of us are operating under illusions about who we are, how we're perceived, and how we contribute to our teams and organizations.
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Why does this even matter?
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Well, a lack of self awareness can have serious consequences at work. Teams with UN self aware colleagues often experience and I'm sure many of you are thinking about those college colleagues as you're hearing my voice.
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Well, what happens on those teams? There's lower performance, so those teams are 50% less likely to succeed when even one person lacks self awareness, there's higher stress and turnover. Those unself aware behaviors like micromanaging, failing to take accountability, or poor communication, can frustrate co workers, leading to burnout and disengagement, and finally, it can decrease motivation. So when people are unaware of how their actions affect others, it can create a toxic environment that saps enthusiasm and collaboration challenges. For example, maybe you struggle with time management. Don't but don't realize that it's not time, it's that you have perfectionist tendencies. That's the underlying issue. You might be focusing on the wrong solutions, or having a solution and not delivering it because it's not up to the standards that you've set for yourself.
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Number two, you could have misaligned goals. So self awareness ensures that your goals align with your values and priorities. So this lack of awareness, awareness might lead you to pursue, pursue goals based on external pressures or unrealistic expectations, leaving you and filled
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and finally, number three, there's no clear starting point. So really, to create a roadmap for change, you need to know where you are, and that self awareness provides that clear picture of your current state so you can set realistic and actionable milestones.
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Well, how do we build self awareness at work? The good news, self awareness is a skill that you can cultivate, and here are some steps to get you started. One, you could seek feedback. You could ask trusted colleagues managers for honest insights about your strengths and areas for improvement. Be specific when you ask, here's an example. What's one thing I could do to communicate more effectively in meetings?
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Another classic is, what should I do more of? What should I do less of?
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And number two, you could reflect regularly so at the.
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End of each day or week, take five minutes to reflect. Ask yourself, what went what went well? What didn't? How did my actions contribute to those outcomes?
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You could use assessments. There are 360 degree feedback. There are people love the anagrams and the Meyer Briggs. There's more scientific ones, like the Korn Ferry assessment, the KF 4d or Clifton Strengths, all of those are very helpful for understanding what your preferences might be like, and those structured insights into your behaviors and how others may perceive you.
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Finally, you could do mindfulness practices. So spend a few moments each day, observing your thoughts and emotion emotions without judgment. So this practice helps you identify patterns and triggers that might otherwise go unnoticed.
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That's wonderful. So these are all wonderful things to work on ourselves, but what happens when you have colleagues who are very unself aware?
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Those are the ones who disrupt workflows or create tension in the team. So you can't really change someone else's behavior, but you can minimize their impact. So with those unself aware colleagues, you could lead by example, so you could demonstrate self awareness through your own actions. You could acknowledge mistakes, seek feedback, seek feedback, and communicate openly. You could also set boundaries so you could be clear about your needs and limits. For instance, if a colleague's disorganization affects your work, politely address issue and suggest solutions. Finally, you can control your response. You can't change how someone behaves, but you can change how you respond, so practice patience and focus on what you can control your own contributions and mindset. So by cultivating this self awareness, you're not only set yourself up for personal success, but also contribute to a healthier and more effective workplace. And as we continue this episode, we'll explore practical tools and strategies to uncover your blind spots, align your goals with your values, and make 2025 a year of meaningful change. Now
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that we've explored the importance of self awareness, let's move into more actionable strategies to uncover your blind spots and align with your goals and values and create that plan. So to make this more relatable, we're going to use this example of a chemical engineer named Alex who discovered how self awareness transformed their career.
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let's meet Alex. Recall them, the unaware overachiever. Alex is a very talented chemical engineer with a stellar academic background and years of experience on paper. They're thriving, but Alex felt stuck. So despite working long hours and meeting deadlines, they couldn't shake the feeling that their contributions weren't making a real impact. They also noticed tension with their team, but couldn't pinpoint why. So without realizing it, Alex's blind spots were holding them back. There was a tendency to micromanage their team, which stifled collaboration. There was also a reluctance to speak up in meetings, which kept them from sharing innovative ideas and the setting goals was driven by external validation, like promotions, rather than what they truly valid valued, which was solving meaningful problems. Does this sound familiar? So let's break down the steps Alex took to uncover these blind spots and transform their approach.
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step one, reflect on patterns and triggers. So self awareness begins with reflection. Alex started by journaling at the end of each day, noting moments of frustration or tension. For example, why did I feel irritated when my teammate took a different approach to solving a problem, or what stopped me from sharing my idea in the last meeting.
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By doing this consistently, Alex identified two key patterns. One, they felt the need to control outcomes, which led to micromanaging. And two, they avoided contributing in meetings due to fear of rejection.
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For this, what is the actual strategy for you? It is to start this daily reflection practice focusing on identifying situations where you felt strong emotions, positive or negative, and then ask yourself, What triggered this feeling? How did I respond? What could I do differently next time.
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Step two, let's seek honest feedback. So one of the fastest ways to uncover blind spots is by asking others for feedback. So Alex scheduled one on one conversations with her manager and trusted teammates. They asked specific questions like, hey, what's the one thing I do well that I should do more of what's one habit or behavior that might be holding me back. Their manager pointed out that while Alex's technical skills were exceptional, their tendency to micromanage made the team hesitant to take an initiative.
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A teammate shared that Alex's quiet demeanor in meetings often.
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Came across as disinterest, which surprised Alex. They thought they were just being polite.
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What is the actual strategy for you from this? So you can identify two to three people you trust. This could be colleagues, mentors or even friends. Ask them for feedback on a specific behavior to make it easier, you can say, I'm working on improving my self awareness, and would love your perspective. What's one thing I could do better?
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Step three, you can use tools to deepen insight. So Alex also took a personality assessment to gain a clearer picture of their work style and preferences. They chose the principal zoo assessment, which highlighted their top strengths, analytical thinking, problem solving and responsibility. It also revealed potential blind spots, like a tendency to over focus on details and a reluctance to delegate. This was a big eye opener for Alex. They realized that their habit of micromanaging wasn't about controlling others. It's stemmed from their deep sense of responsibility and fear of failure. So for you, what is the actional strategy to try one of these assessments to uncover your strengths, preferences and blind spots? Many organizations offer these resources, or you can explore them independently. The principles you assessment, I like. It's a solid assessment on your personality, and it helps you uncover your preferences, and it is free. So if you go to principlesu.com you can sign up for that assessment and get great feedback on how your preferences show up.
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Step four, you can align your goals with your values. So with these insights, Alex revisited their goals. They realized that many of their past objectives, like aiming for leadership roles, were driven by these external expectations rather than personal fulfillment. Through reflection, Alex uncovered their core value, which was solving meaningful challenges. So they adjusted their goals to align with their values by volunteering for a cross departmental project focused on sustainability, prioritizing tasks that contributed to innovative problem solving and practicing delegation to empower their team and create space for high value work. So from this, what is your actionable strategy? And that is, take a moment to reflect on your value. Ask yourself, What excites me most about my work. What kind of legacy do I want to leave in my career? Are my current goals aligned with my values, or do they reflect external pressures? So adjust your goals to ensure they're meaningful to you, and it's not just impressive to others.
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Step five, take small and consistent actions. Change doesn't happen overnight, so Alex committed to small, intentional changes. They delegated tasks by assigning one task per week to a teammate, giving clear instructions, but stepping back to allow autonomy. They started speaking up in meetings. They set a goal to share one idea per meeting, even if it felt uncomfortable, and they had weekly check ins team check ins to gather input and build stronger collaboration. So these small actions had a snowball effect over time. Alex noticed their team was more engaged, meetings were more collaborative, and their own confidence grew. So what is the actual strategy for you? That is to identify one small habit to change this week. For instance, if you struggle to delegate, assign one task to a colleague and focus on supporting them rather than taking over, if you avoid speaking up commit to sharing one thought in your next team meeting.
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Finally, there's the transformation by uncovering their blind spots and aligning their actions with their values. Alex didn't just achieve their goals. They found renewed passion and purpose in their work. They became a stronger leader, more effective collaborator, and, most importantly, more fulfilled and professional. So here's the closing challenge this week, take one step toward greater self awareness, whether it's journaling, seeking feedback or exploring your values, remember that self awareness isn't about being perfect, it's about progress. So stay in tune for the next segment, when we'll dive into how self awareness can create a ripple effect, transforming not just your career, but also your relationships and team dynamics. You
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Self awareness is your compass. It points you toward intentional, purposeful action, and as we start this new year, take time to reflect on your habits, what's helping you move forward, what's holding you back. If you're looking for tools to deepen your self awareness, check out the resources linked in the show notes. Start small, stay curious and remember the clues to success are already within you. Thank you for joining me on unlearning work. Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with anyone ready to transform their habits and achieve their goals. Wishing you a year full of growth and meaningful success. You.
Additional resources:
Principles You Assessment www.principlesyou.com
Working with People Who Aren't Self Aware. Eurich, Tasha. https://hbr.org/2018/10/working-with-people-who-arent-self-aware
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