We have spent months looking at the competencies that are essential for an effective leader, almost completing our series last week with a blog on self-awareness. Growing these competencies (specifically self-awareness) leads to the growth of another important, overarching necessity in leaders: emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to see, understand and manage emotions in yourself and others, and to have the humility and wisdom to rely on others when you are struggling to do so…

Why does self-awareness matter? Throughout every individual’s journey of transformation, there are challenges, some small and some seemingly insurmountable.  Without self-awareness, we cannot hope to overcome these challenges, much less lead others in facing their struggles. The sense of self can vary greatly between one person and the next: wise and healthy leaders need to be intentionally developed in this area. There have been various stages of my own life where I felt self-aware, only to look back and realise that there was much I wasn’t seeing. Self-awareness is not some epiphany that comes once in a lifetime and gives all the insight one will ever need; it is a process of continual discovery, and growth of self-awareness often leads to even more questions to ask oneself…