The cheat code for elite managers: Vivid Self Awareness 🧵
A standard play that many executive coaches run: -> Interview you -> Interview people around you -> Build a profile of you -> Target a development area -> Have you socialize that plan -> Do the work to get better -> Confirm progress Why not start this practice yourself?
1/ Build your profile For some, self reflection is easy: -> Regular journaling -> Talking aloud to a partner -> Daily moments of mindfulness For other, they need prompts, a tool. MBTI is popular & fraught. Here's a free one we used at Bridgewater.
principlesyou.com
This is a GPS, not a horoscope Map attributes into a 2x2: -> Resonates & doesn't resonate -> Important & unimportant Resonate & important -> Double down on strengths -> Pick one weakness to focus on Doesn't resonate & important -> Seek more data Ignore the unimportant
2/ Enlist others I'm sorry, but you're a liar. You don't mean to, but we all have blind spots. So share the results: -> Ask your friends & family -> Ask your peers -> Ask your boss Don't lead the witness. Encourage radical honesty. Recast your profile based on their input.
3/ Declare your intent Good news: The people who care about you want to help. Better news: Telling them what your doubling down on and how you're seeking to grow helps focus their assistance. Best news: Accountability -> you won't want to let them down.
Want to be even more strategic about their engagement? Build your personal Board of Trustees:
4/ Generate data You don't know what works. If you did, you'd already be doing it. So treat yourself like a product: Run experiments
Keep it simple: -> Write down what you're going to do and the expected outcome -> Now go do it -> Answer 3 questions: 1) Did the interaction goes as expected? 2) Did it get the outcome? 3) If not, why? You may need to ask Why a few times:
5/ Reflect with regularity Active & Participatory >> Passive & Individual 1) Active -> Open that profile back up -> Revise based on data -> Write it down 2) Participatory -> Go back to your advisors -> Ask them how it's going -> Share what you've learned Now begin again.
You will be shocked by how quickly your growth will accelerate just by being intentional. And by practicing Vivid Self Awareness, you'll train the muscles needed to build robust pictures for each member of your team. Which is exactly what you'll need to lead successfully.
