In my last blog, Becoming a Leader, I shared that self-awareness is the first step in becoming an effective leader. This means understanding your strengths, values, accomplishments, development areas AND…recognizing (and admitting) any beliefs and behaviors that may be working against you. These are what I call your internal barriers; the “show stoppers” that are preventing you from getting to where you want to be.
Here are some examples.
You’ve been unhappy for several years in your current role. You’re bored. You know you have more to offer, but you don’t see yourself getting an opportunity to do so in this organization. And you can’t seem to crank up the initiative to look for an opportunity elsewhere. What’s holding you back? Fear of change? Self-doubt? Difficulty selling yourself? Procrastinator?
For the second time in the past 5 years you’ve been passed over for a promotion. You work hard. You know the organization. You always hit your goals. Yes, maybe you’ve had some difficulties with other team members, but only because you care so much about things being done the right way. What’s holding you back? Perfectionist? Short-tempered? Controlling? Confrontational?
You’ve just come back from your annual review meeting with your leader. For the first time in your career, you’ve received less than a stellar review. You sat there in a fog of phrases like “deadlines missed,” “disappointing results,” “lack of commitment.” You can’t believe that after all you’ve done for this company, the long hours and lost vacations, that it has come to this. What’s holding you back? Difficulty asking for help? Lack of work/life balance? Burn out? Stress management?
OK. Now it’s your turn.
As you think back over your career, what are the internal barriers that have prevented you from getting to where you want to be? These may be beliefs or behaviors you recognize in yourself, or ones you’ve learned about through feedback. Be brutally honest with yourself. That’s the only way to GET REAL about them and start dealing with them.
Write them down. Choose from those I’ve mentioned above, or from the list below or add your own. The important thing is to identify, acknowledge and admit them!
Here are some additional common internal barriers to consider:
Absent-minded
Argumentative
Change-resistant
Communication barriers
Difficulty with authority
Disorganized
Fear of making the wrong decision
Impatient
Lack of focus
Limited network
Poor follow-through
Poor judge of others
Prioritizing
Time management
Timid
Too readable
Worried about what others think
If you completed the values exercise from last time and now have identified your internal barriers, you are on your way to building self-awareness.
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Till next time,
Karen
