The most effective leaders share one quality rarely taught in business school: they know themselves with unusual clarity.nnSelf-awareness in leadership is not navel-gazing. It is practical. A leader who does not understand how they are perceived will consistently misread the room. They will wonder why their vision is not being followed, why their feedback is not landing, why talented people keep leaving.nnThe most dangerous leaders are often the most confident ones. Confidence without self-awareness creates certainty where curiosity is needed.nnDeveloping self-awareness as a leader requires feedback from people who will tell you the truth. It requires asking questions you may not want answered. It requires sitting with the gap between your intentions and your actual impact.
