A multinational corporation that created a truly inclusive leadership team; a sportsman who enhanced his own performance and that of his rowing team to go onto Olympic glory; doctors who have sharpened their ability to engage with patients….what’s the common bond? It’s self-awareness.
Self-awareness was the overarching theme of CPP’s one-day conference, titled Grow 2015, held in late November. Speakers at the event included business leaders from Dell, Foxtel and others, Olympian Drew Ginn, and luminaries from the health and education sectors.
“Whether it’s about engaging customers or employees, identifying future leaders or developing high performing cultures, it all starts with the individual,” said Cameron Nott, managing director CPP Asia Pacific. “If you’re a leader, an employee, or part of a group people in a team, having that understanding of who you are and what your personality type is can help you become more effective in whatever you do.”
This is particularly the case for leaders, Nott added. “You may not have an understanding of why you have breakdowns in communication with other people, or why there are areas of conflict or tension. Sometimes you receive feedback and it can be frightening that people perceive you in a totally different way to how you think you come across.”
Personality assessments such as the Myers-Briggs® (MBTI®) instrument provide a model by which people can gain that self-awareness; it also provides a vocabulary for understanding both yourself and to assist in appreciating the differences in others. “Through that language people are then more comfortably able to explore these areas of difference, conflict, communication, and so on,” said Nott. “It creates a much more comfortable area in which to discuss these topics.”
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