How Important is Self-Awareness?

When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and was completely honest with yourself; as you know honesty is the best policy?

Despite your overall expertise or the level of work you are capable of delivering, you will make mistakes. In our field these might be life threatening. Self-awareness is critical in the emergency management field, yet it is hard to find.

Being honest with yourself will make you better. I have said it before, and I will continue to say it; we are not perfectly programmed machines, we are humans who make mistakes. There is nothing we can do apart from readying ourselves, knowing what endangers us, and preparing for it. If you are not doing this then I would encourage you to take a few minutes and have a conversation with yourself asking why you are not doing the things you know are vital.

Being honest with ourselves makes our teams better. A healthy dose of self-awareness is also critical for the creation of effective teams. When you’re open and transparent with your team, it builds trust and understanding that makes it easier to move past difficult situations. You should have nothing to prove to those who work around you. If a conversation with a work colleague doesn’t go well, you can approach the other person, apologize, and continue with your day with no hard feelings.

Take a few seconds today to take a look at yourself in a mirror. Knowing yourself and having a healthy dose of self-awareness is absolutely critical. You cannot expect to be successful if you are not self-aware and really honest about who you are, your feelings, and what you really bring to the table. This exercise will make you and your team better and more effective.