How to Cultivate Self-Awareness
Articles
- Just Ask: Humility and the New Leader, by Don Jacobson
Tips for overcoming some of the insecurities that plague many new supervisors. - The Failures of Leaders, by Ray Blunt
Discusses some of the causes of derailment. - 9 Ways to Get Over Your Feedback Fears, by Joseph Folkman
Superb article from FastCompany about receiving feedback. - A Guide to Giving and Receiving Feedback
Excellent resource from NASA. - The Art of Journaling: How to Start Journaling, Benefits of Journaling, and More
Advice and resources from the DailyStoic.com to help you develop your reflective practice.
Self-Assessment Tools
- StrengthsFinder
- Kolb Learning Style Inventory
- Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Conflict Mode Instrument
- The Courageous Follower Self-Assessment
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Must be administered by a certified practitioner)
Books
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
Brené Brown first became famous for her TED talks, The Power of Vulnerability and Listening to Shame. Fear of shame and the belief that vulnerability shows weakness are two pillars of insecurity--a very human trait at the root of many behaviors that cause leaders to fail. Dare to Lead provides a rich set of practices that can help leaders build what Dr. Brown calls "grounded confidence," a kind of confidence that gives the leader the courage to engage with candor and authenticity--and to welcome the same from others. This is powerful stuff. Read More...
Step Back: How to Bring the Art of Reflecton into Your Busy Life
Joseph Badarocco's research for Step Back encompassed interviews with more than 100 successful managers and a vast, multidimensional review of literature on reflection. He distilled this research into four design priniples that can help you adapt time-tested reflection practices to your own style and schedule. I found his first design principle, "Aim for Good Enough," to be liberating. Badaracco states that his goal was "to write a book that was short, useful, and easily accessible." He succeeded. Read More...
Ongoing Feedback:How to Get It, How to Use It
This easy-to-use booklet from the Center for Creative Leadership is the perfect tool for managers who want to get feedback from their subordinates and peers but don't know where to start. Provides excellent and actionable advice on who, when and how to ask for feedback. Includes tips on helping the other person deliver the feedback in a constuctive way. Most importantly, it includes a memorable list of do's and don'ts that will help you learn to receive feedback without getting defensive. Read More...
Fear Your Strengths
While it is important to know your strengths and to cultivate and use them, managers and executives run the risk of overusing them. Kaplan and Kaiser assert that many executives develop blind spots for--and may even actively ignore--competencies that do not play to their strengths. For example, a manager who has a gift for strategy may neglect operational considerations and vice-versa. Following the authors' model can help you maintain balance in your approach to leadership. Read More...
Primal Leadership highlights the impact a leader's emotions can have on an organization and the need for leaders to be upbeat and positive. It also includes the substance of Goleman's classic article from the Harvard Business Review, "What Makes a Leader?" in which the author explains the importance of mastering various leadership styles and knowing when to use them.
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Strengthsfinder 2.0
This book provides an effective tool for identifying your talents and learning how to develop them into true strengths. It includes a code you can use to take the Clifton Strengthsfinder online assessment tool. The Strengthsfinder report provides a customized description of each of your top five talent themes and--more importantly--makes numerous specific suggestions for cultivating them. Read More...
The Power of Feedback: 35 Principles for Turning Feedback from Others into Personal and Professional Change
In The Power of Feedback, Joseph Folkman discusses the pitfalls inherent in--and reasons for--not acting on feedback we receive. He also suggests ways to improve our ability to accept feedback and follow through with behavioral change. Click here to read a PDF of Chapter 1. Read More...Video