On the Self-Awareness Superhighway, May '24
Reflections Newsletter: Looking Back to Go Forward
👋🏼 Welcome
Hello KSKOers and welcome to new subscribers!
Never strip a clout ‘til May is out is what my gran used to say. And I can see why. Sunshine, flip flops, raincoats and colds. We’ve had it all. May seems to signify change, from one season to another and from one state to another. Here’s what’s in this month’s issue of looking backwards to go forwards…
📒 Book News: THE SELF-AWARENESS SUPERHIGHWAY
🎙️ Podcast News: ‘The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast’ in May
💡 5 Top Tips to Build your Self-Awareness - Adaptability
📖 Book Review: A Warm Embrace: My Reflections on ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’ by Susan Jeffers
👥 Learning and Sharing: Events in May
🔭 Forward view to June ‘24
📒 Book News: THE SELF-AWARENESS SUPERHIGHWAY
This month my book, THE SELF-AWARENESS SUPERHIGHWAY: CHARTING YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY bounced around the Amazon top 100 chart in the category of Occupational and Organisational Psychology, reaching no. 15! I’m loving the reviews that are starting to appear and grateful for people’s feedback.
Have you read your copy yet? If so, please remember to rate and write a review. Rates and reviews impact rankings and the higher the book goes in the ranking the more we can raise awareness of self-awareness! Read a sample below…
🎙️ Podcast news: ‘The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast’ in May
In May, I was joined by
discussing workplace happiness, Monica Haughey talking about psychotherapy, entrepreneurship, group coaching, Radhika Nair discussing civility, respect, restorative practice and just cultures and Tessa Clarke talking about founding Olio and her leadership experiences.Check out the top takeaways from our conversations and take a pause to consider the reflection questions…
Call for Top Podcast Guests
I’m looking for guests who talk the talk and walk the walk! If you are a CEO or senior leader in your organisation, join me to talk about your self-awareness journey and the twists, turns and lightbulb moments you’ve had along the way. Drop me a line at: info@knowinselfknowingothers.co.uk
💡 5 Top Tips to Build your Self-Awareness
Let’s consider self-awareness through the lens of adaptability, which is the sixth direction of my self-awareness compass. Here are 5 top tips on how to develop your self-awareness practice with adaptability in mind:
Embrace Change: Covid propelled adaptability into the spotlight like never before! So take the opportunity to dive into the deep end of change. Whether it's adopting new ways of working or rethinking old processes, view change as an chance to grow and evolve.
Lead Adaptively: In today's dynamic world, leadership isn't about one-size-fits-all solutions. It's about adapting your leadership style to fit the situation. Learn to navigate the macro, meso, and micro levels of adaptability within your organisation, recognising that each level requires a different approach.
Delegate Wisely: True adaptability means knowing when to step back and let others take the lead. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to have all the answers. Instead, empower your team members to shine by delegating tasks and authority effectively. Lean in to direction 2: humility
Unlearn and Relearn: Adaptability isn't just about learning new skills, it's also about unlearning old ones. Challenge yourself to let go of outdated practices and embrace new ways of thinking and doing. Just like defragging your brain, unlearning clears space for fresh ideas and perspectives.
Embrace a Growth Mindset: Cultivate a mindset that sees change as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat. Be open to new experiences and willing to step out of your comfort zone. Remember, adaptability isn't about being a superhero; it's about being ready to seize the opportunities that come your way.
By incorporating these strategies into your leadership approach, you'll not only become more self-aware but also better equipped to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the modern workplace.
👥 Learning and Sharing: Events in May
CMI Women in Leadership Conference
I had a great time at my first Chartered Management Institute in May, after becoming a Chartered Manager at the end of 2023. Here are my reflections on this excellent conference where Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party gave the keynote speech….
The Future of Work, Scotland
I had such a great time delivering a Self-Awareness Superhighway webinar to thinkers from around the globe. We talked about the definition of self-awareness and self-aware leadership, the directions of the self-awareness compass and some of the tests, tools and technique to develop your self-aware leadership, including the Self-Awareness Compass Quiz. You’ll be able to access my webinar, and all past webinars here
🔭 Forward view to June ‘24
In June, I’m excited to announce that I’ll be doing my very first book signing in St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Wales - the littlest city in the UK, where I’m from. Whilst I’m there, I’ll be gifting a copy to my old school as a thank you for helping me discover the love of English language and literature. Looking forward to it! You can keep up to date with all of my forthcoming events here. I’ll also be joined on The Knowing Self Knowing Others Podcast by Matt Dunsmoor, Lisa Nordquist, Dr Paul Furey and Alex Jaworski.