Chapter One
Journey into Self-awareness
Chapter Overview
A central thesis of our book is that managers must first understand themselves in order to be
effective in working with others. In this chapter we introduce the concept of self-awareness:
what it is, why it's important, benefits of self-awareness and means to gain self-awareness. We
discuss ways to build self-awareness and strategies for being effective at identifying strengths
and overcoming limitations. We also address how strong self-knowledge can enhance one’s
ability to manage others. The chapter begins with a case and discussion questions and concludes
with a number of exercises that can be used in groups or as individual assignments.
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, the student/reader will be able to:
• List strengths and understand how these might guide them to a major and career path
• Identify personal motivators that define personal and professional happiness
• Assess personal limitations and develop a plan for improving in these areas
• Identify preferred work style and how this affects working relationships with others
• Identify personal biases that might hinder understanding and appreciation of others
Chapter Outline
,What is Self-awareness?
The capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from
the environment and other individuals. Knowing your motivations, preferences and personality
and understanding how these affect judgment, decisions and interactions with others.
Why Self-awareness is important
• Understanding yourself in relation to others
• Developing and implementing a sound self-improvement program
• Setting appropriate life and career goals
• Developing relationships with others
• Understanding the value of diversity
• Managing others effectively
• Increasing productivity
• Increasing ability to contribute to organization, community and family
• Developing a career that is satisfying
• Increasing global leadership competencies
Lack of Self-awareness
It is also important to assess the negative effects of a lack of, or faulty, self-awareness. These can
include:
• Making poor decisions
• Developing unrealistic notions of your competencies and strengths
• Derailing your career
Strategies for gaining Self-awareness
Self-analysis – analyzing and reflecting on behaviors, personality, attitudes and
perceptions.
Behavior – the way in which we conduct ourselves or act.
Four components:
, Motivation – the drive to pursue one action over another.
Modes of thinking – the way you process inputs and external stimuli.
Modes of acting – the course of action you apply in a given situation.
Modes of interacting – the way in which you communicate, share ideas and
feelings with others.
Personality – the relatively stable set of characteristics, tendencies and temperaments
that have been inherited or formed by heredity and by social, cultural and environmental
factors.
Big Five Model – five broad personality factors that are representative of the
characteristics that can be linked with satisfaction and success.
Extroversion – the degree to which a person is social or outgoing.
Agreeableness – the degree to which a person is friendly or reserved,
cooperative or guarded.
Emotional Stability – the degree of consistency or inconsistency in
reacting to certain events or situations.
Conscientiousness – the degree to which an individual is dependable,
reliable, or committed.
Openness to Experience – the degree to which one is interested in
broadening horizons, open to new ideas, people, or situations.
Self Monitoring – the tendency to adjust behavior relative to the changing demands of
social situations, dangerous at either end of the continuum.
High Self-monitors – sensitive to external cues and constantly adapt or conform
to situations or a set of expectations.
Low Self-monitors – never adjusting or conforming to situations, not interested in
what others think.
Attitudes – are evaluative statements or learned predispositions to respond to an object,
person or idea in a favorable or unfavorable way. They are narrow in focus and can vary
from situation to situation.
, Perception – the process by which individuals gather sensory information and assign
meaning to it; it is not necessarily reality, it is an individual's view of reality.
Filters that affect perception:
Stereotyping – making assumptions about individuals or a group based on
generalized judgments rather than facts.
Selective Perception – interpreting information for meaning and accuracy
and discarding that which is threatening or non-relevant.
Projection – the attributing of one’s own attitudes, characteristics or
shortcomings to others.
Expectations – forming an opinion about how we would like an event or
situation to develop or a person to act, feel or think.
Interest – basing our activities and inputs on things that are likeable or
appealing to us.
Attribution Theory – developing perceptions based on whether we believe the
perceived causes which result in specific behavior in others or ourselves are internal or
external.
Self-serving Bias – individuals tend to blame external factors for failure and credit
internal factors for success when evaluating them selves.
Fundamental Attribution Error – individuals tend to overestimate the impact of
internal factors and underestimate external factors when evaluating others.
Others’ Perceptions – gaining self-awareness through understanding how others view
us and understanding how we are shaped by other’s opinions.
Social Mirror – a process of viewing ourselves based on other people’s views.
Self-Disclosure – gaining awareness through sharing ideas, thoughts and feelings with
others without self-deception or distortion.
Diverse Experiences – increasing self-awareness through acquiring multiple
experiences in diverse situations and with diverse others
Journey into Self-awareness
Chapter Overview
A central thesis of our book is that managers must first understand themselves in order to be
effective in working with others. In this chapter we introduce the concept of self-awareness:
what it is, why it's important, benefits of self-awareness and means to gain self-awareness. We
discuss ways to build self-awareness and strategies for being effective at identifying strengths
and overcoming limitations. We also address how strong self-knowledge can enhance one’s
ability to manage others. The chapter begins with a case and discussion questions and concludes
with a number of exercises that can be used in groups or as individual assignments.
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, the student/reader will be able to:
• List strengths and understand how these might guide them to a major and career path
• Identify personal motivators that define personal and professional happiness
• Assess personal limitations and develop a plan for improving in these areas
• Identify preferred work style and how this affects working relationships with others
• Identify personal biases that might hinder understanding and appreciation of others
Chapter Outline
,What is Self-awareness?
The capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile oneself as an individual separate from
the environment and other individuals. Knowing your motivations, preferences and personality
and understanding how these affect judgment, decisions and interactions with others.
Why Self-awareness is important
• Understanding yourself in relation to others
• Developing and implementing a sound self-improvement program
• Setting appropriate life and career goals
• Developing relationships with others
• Understanding the value of diversity
• Managing others effectively
• Increasing productivity
• Increasing ability to contribute to organization, community and family
• Developing a career that is satisfying
• Increasing global leadership competencies
Lack of Self-awareness
It is also important to assess the negative effects of a lack of, or faulty, self-awareness. These can
include:
• Making poor decisions
• Developing unrealistic notions of your competencies and strengths
• Derailing your career
Strategies for gaining Self-awareness
Self-analysis – analyzing and reflecting on behaviors, personality, attitudes and
perceptions.
Behavior – the way in which we conduct ourselves or act.
Four components:
, Motivation – the drive to pursue one action over another.
Modes of thinking – the way you process inputs and external stimuli.
Modes of acting – the course of action you apply in a given situation.
Modes of interacting – the way in which you communicate, share ideas and
feelings with others.
Personality – the relatively stable set of characteristics, tendencies and temperaments
that have been inherited or formed by heredity and by social, cultural and environmental
factors.
Big Five Model – five broad personality factors that are representative of the
characteristics that can be linked with satisfaction and success.
Extroversion – the degree to which a person is social or outgoing.
Agreeableness – the degree to which a person is friendly or reserved,
cooperative or guarded.
Emotional Stability – the degree of consistency or inconsistency in
reacting to certain events or situations.
Conscientiousness – the degree to which an individual is dependable,
reliable, or committed.
Openness to Experience – the degree to which one is interested in
broadening horizons, open to new ideas, people, or situations.
Self Monitoring – the tendency to adjust behavior relative to the changing demands of
social situations, dangerous at either end of the continuum.
High Self-monitors – sensitive to external cues and constantly adapt or conform
to situations or a set of expectations.
Low Self-monitors – never adjusting or conforming to situations, not interested in
what others think.
Attitudes – are evaluative statements or learned predispositions to respond to an object,
person or idea in a favorable or unfavorable way. They are narrow in focus and can vary
from situation to situation.
, Perception – the process by which individuals gather sensory information and assign
meaning to it; it is not necessarily reality, it is an individual's view of reality.
Filters that affect perception:
Stereotyping – making assumptions about individuals or a group based on
generalized judgments rather than facts.
Selective Perception – interpreting information for meaning and accuracy
and discarding that which is threatening or non-relevant.
Projection – the attributing of one’s own attitudes, characteristics or
shortcomings to others.
Expectations – forming an opinion about how we would like an event or
situation to develop or a person to act, feel or think.
Interest – basing our activities and inputs on things that are likeable or
appealing to us.
Attribution Theory – developing perceptions based on whether we believe the
perceived causes which result in specific behavior in others or ourselves are internal or
external.
Self-serving Bias – individuals tend to blame external factors for failure and credit
internal factors for success when evaluating them selves.
Fundamental Attribution Error – individuals tend to overestimate the impact of
internal factors and underestimate external factors when evaluating others.
Others’ Perceptions – gaining self-awareness through understanding how others view
us and understanding how we are shaped by other’s opinions.
Social Mirror – a process of viewing ourselves based on other people’s views.
Self-Disclosure – gaining awareness through sharing ideas, thoughts and feelings with
others without self-deception or distortion.
Diverse Experiences – increasing self-awareness through acquiring multiple
experiences in diverse situations and with diverse others
