Becoming Self-Aware Public Service Leadership Model Becoming Self-Aware Becoming self-aware begins with an introspective understanding of your values, thought patterns and motivations, all of which are essential to personal development and better interactions with others. Self-awareness is an anchor, enabling you as a leader to stay true to yourself and perform at your highest level in service to the American public. The five subcompetencies to becoming self-aware include: Self-Reflection Authenticity Emotional intelligence Integrity Continuous Learning Self-Reflection Regularly reflect, test assumptions and seek feedback. “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” – Margaret J. Wheatley, Writer and organizational behavior consultant PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Four tips to help you complete a self-assessment Whether you are a leader, or aspiring to be one, ensure you are doing the best work for your team by taking the time to assess your strengths and weaknesses and reflect on your capabilities. Federal employees face new challenges as a result of COVID-19, making this a good time to do a self-assessment. Read More Les Lyles’ Leadership Journey General Les Lyles shares the story of his leadership journey in service to the country, including notable points of self-reflection on values and contribution.General Les Lyles shares the story of his leadership journey in service to the country, including notable points of self-reflection on values and contribution. Watch the video Clarity in the Future Through Self-Reflection Ms. Vicky Herrera speaks about the importance of self-reflection and how it allows people to gain clarity for the future. She emphasizes on the approach of looking within oneself to know how to ask the right questions and to know how to answer them. Watch the video REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS What strengths do I bring to my work? In what areas do I feel unsteady and want to improve? How will I seek continuous feedback about my performance? Who are my trusted sources for feedback? Related competencies Emotional Intelligence Continuous Learning Accountability Additional resources READ: How A Daily Self-Reflection Practice Improves Leadership Performance – Naz Beheshti, Contributing writer and consultant, Forbes READ: A Time for Reflection: Understanding Yourself in Times of Change – Stacie M. Rivera, Public Affairs Specialist at Veterans Affairs, GovLoop WATCH: The Science of Character – Tiffany Shlain, filmmaker, author, public speaker Authenticity Act according to your belief system. “Authentic Leaders are not afraid to show emotion and vulnerability as they share in the challenges with their team. Developing a solid foundation of trust with open and honest communication is critical to authentic leadership.” – Farshad Asl, The “No Excuses” Mindset: A Life of Purpose, Passion, and Clarity PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Authentic leadership: Why showing up as yourself matters Understand what authentic leadership is, why it’s important it’s an important trait in today’s workforce, and how to better demonstrate it to your colleagues. Read more Doug Conant on Being Self-aware Doug Conant reflects on his career as former CEO and president of Campbell Soup Company pinpointing a vital element for a successful leader – self-awareness. Watch the video Improve Leadership Presence Muriel Maignan Wilkins, coauther of Own the Room, talks through the three essential elemnts of having a positive presense – assumptions, communication strategy, and your energy. Watch the video REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS How do I want to be known to others? What qualities of myself are most important to demonstrate? In what situations or with what people do I tend to:Hide or downplay myself or my strengths, orFear admitting my flaws, orForget my personal boundaries, orFeel as if I’m not good enough, or Create pressure to “fit in” Examining the above situations or people, what might be contributing to this tendency to shy away from authenticity? Related competencies Emotional Intelligence Integrity Relationship Building Additional resources READ: Seeking Authentic Leadership? – Ruth McGowan, Research Scientist and consultant WATCH: Authentic Leadership – Dana Born, retired brigadier general in the United States Air Force WATCH: The Authenticity Paradox – Herminia Ibarra, Author and Professor of Organizational Behavior at London Business School Emotional Intelligence Recognize your emotions and those of others; use this information to manage behavior. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how they made you feel.” – Maya Angelou, Civil rights activist, poet, author PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Managing the Ebola Crisis Read about Mia Beers’ success in helping manage the ebola crisis in West Africa while also considering the emotions and customs of both the affected communities and her USAID team. Watch this video Learn more about Mia Empathy is the most important leadership skill A new research study from Catalyst shows how leaders that demonstrate empathy towards their colleagues yield positive impacts on engagement, productivity, and stress. Read more How Kindness Contributes to Leadership Listen to General Les Lyles talk about how kindness contributes to leadership effectiveness. Watch this video REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS How might I practice paying attention to my experience and being present? When I’m feeling stressed, what techniques do I use to cope? What is my level of awareness about how emotions play into my work? The work of others? Related competencies Self-Reflection Adaptability Relationship Building Additional resources READ: 5 Skills to Help You Develop Emotional Intelligence – Mark Manson, Author and personal development consultant WATCH: Empathy vs. Sympathy – Brené Brown, Research Professor and author WATCH: Strategies to Become More Emotionally Intelligent – Daniel Goleman, Author and behavioral scientist Integrity Follow moral and ethical principles. “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” – Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and philanthropist PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION Shaping the Government’s Legal Position Learn about Edwin Kneedler’s unwavering integrity and candor as he has worked to tell his clients’ stories fairly and uphold the U.S. Constitution throughout his career at the Department of Justice. Watch the video Learn more about Edwin Charlie Bolden on Leading in Government In this interview, former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden talks about the unique nature of leading in government and keeping the public good as the focus. Watch the video Success Will Come and Go, But Integrity is Forever Learn how building trust on an individual level, will produce major payoffs in the future. Read more REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS What moral principles tend to guide my work? Think back to a time when faced with an ethical dilemma. How did I handle it? What did I learn from it? Am I inclined to “do the right thing, even when no one is looking?” What helps or hinders me in practicing integrity? Related competencies Authenticity Influence Evidence-Based Decision Making Additional resources READ: Leading with Character: Integrity – Michael Lee Stallard, author of Connection Culture: The Competitive Advantage of Shared Identity, Empathy and Understanding at Work READ: Why Integrity Remains One of the Top Leadership Attributes – Terri Williams, Economist contributing author and journalist WATCH: Simplifying Humility and Integrity – Joe Sibini, Ted Talk speaker Continuous Learning Constantly seek to grow and learn. “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy, President of the United States PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION How to Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning Ashu Goel, CEO of WinWire Technologies, discusses his insights on continuous learning as an individual leader, and how best to ignite a culture of learning on your team. Read more Why a Service to America Medals winner decided to participate in the Excellence in Government Fellows program Omar Pérez Aybar won a Service to America Medals award in 2014 for his work investigating Medicare fraud in South Florida. Four years later he decided to enroll in the Partnership’s Excellence in Government Fellows leadership development program. Pérez Aybar discusses his choice to join EIG and the importance of continuing to develop your leadership skills. Read More Advancing Medical Science Discover the genius of Ann Mckee, who has spent her career advancing medical science in the field of head trauma through extensive research and study of environmental impacts on the brain. Watch the video Learn more about Ann REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS How often am I taking time for formal learning? Informal or on-the-job learning? What sources of feedback do I have on my performance and my professionalism? How will I capture or codify what I’m learning? Related competencies Self-Reflection Embracing Risk and Uncertainty Adaptability Additional resources READ: Future of Work Requires Leaders Who Value Learning in the Flow of Life – Amy A. Titus, Managing Director in Human Capital at Deloitte Consulting and ATD contributor READ: Why Continuous Learning is a Sign of Great Leadership – Sean Jacobson, HR Business Consultant and contributor to Leader2Leader WATCH: The Backwards Brain Bicycle – Smarter Every Day © 2022 Partnership for Public Service, Inc. All rights reserved.
