How can I be Self-Aware at Work?

Self-awareness is key to a successful career. To be self-aware, you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses and how they affect your work. You also need to be aware of your values and what drives you. By being self-aware, you can stay true to yourself while excelling in your career.

How do I know whether I am self-aware?

There are a few ways to find out. First, you can ask your friends and family for their honest feedback on what they see in you – what drives you, how you interact with others, etc. It is essential that when asking them these questions, you allow them to think about their answers and not pressure them for a quick response. You can also take personality and values assessments and read up on the competency model of your desired position to compare yourself against it.

What are some signs that I am self-aware?

If others describe you as confident, passionate about what you do, empathetic toward others, authentic in how you act and interact with others, comfortable with who you are, self-motivated to succeed, etc., then you are probably self-aware.

What are the benefits of self-awareness?

Self-awareness can help your career in several ways: First, if you know what drives you – whether it’s personal growth, creativity, recognition from others, etc. – you can find a career that allows you to pursue those desires.

Second, as a self-aware worker, you will also recognize your strengths and weaknesses and seek out positions where your strengths align with the job duties (i.e., working on teams, and analytical work). You can also use this knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses to pinpoint new areas you would like to develop.

What are some red flags for an unaware worker?

An unaware worker may feel lost or stuck doing the same thing repeatedly without new opportunities or challenges. They may lack confidence or passion for what they do or not engage with their coworkers. They might disagree with their company’s mission statement if they feel their values are different.

What should I do if I feel like I’m not self-aware?

It can be easy to get in a rut at work, do the same things every day, and have the same routine. However, this can make you feel stuck or cause you to lose sight of your goals. In addition, if you aren’t self-aware, it could lead to not setting new goals for yourself within your company, which would prevent you from advancing in your career.

Luckily, there are simple ways to develop self-awareness – take personality assessments or go through strengths finders top on lists of desired characteristics of an ideal worker, talk with peers about their experiences to learn more about yourself, etc. Then, ask yourself what changes you need to make to become more with yourself and how you work with others.

Tips for becoming more self-aware:

1. Look at your interactions with others and ask yourself how comfortable you are being open and honest.

2. Think about the aspects of your current job that motivate or demotivate you and ask yourself if those things fit into what drives you as a person (are they aligned with your values?). If not, what can you do to meet your needs at work?

3. Think about the last time you made a mistake and how it affected you. How did you handle it? Were there consequences for your actions? What would have happened if you didn’t make this mistake?

4. Think of a significant event from your past regarding a failure or accomplishment. What made it effective? How did you handle it?

5. Think of a time when you needed help at work or in your personal life and ask yourself the following questions: Was this task or situation out of my comfort zone? Who was I most comfortable asking for support with it? What type of support did they provide? How and when did I thank them and show my appreciation? What do you think might have happened if you didn’t get this support?

6. Think about your career goals and what you want to accomplish in the next five years. Do these goals align with your company’s mission statement or culture, or will they require changing them? How?  

7. What are your biggest strengths? Which accomplishments have been the most rewarding for you so far? Where do you think you need to improve? Where would you like to be in five years?

8. Create a vision board with pictures and words representing your career goals. Hang it up somewhere you will see it every day, such as your computer monitor or bathroom mirror, and ask yourself how you can get closer to achieving those goals each day.

Self-awareness at work can help you pinpoint what motivates and demotivates you, allowing you to have a fulfilling career that aligns with your values.

I hope these tips help you become more self-aware! Thanks for reading!