Leadership and Self-Awareness

"The single most important piece of information a leader possesses is self-awareness...Leaders lacking self-awareness are often besieged from within.  They often are their own worst enemy. and they don't even know it!" from "Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders" by Reggie McNeal

This is the one area that most often holds a young leader back.Every stress and strain a leader faces is interpreted through the grid of their own view of self.

Did I cause this problem?  If so, how?  Was I misunderstood?  How should I do this next time? 

Only through accurate self-awareness are these questions answered honestly. 

You would think that time and experience would solve this problem, but its not necessarily so.  We've all known older people who are set in their ways with a well-fortified view of themselves far from reality.

So what can you do to gain self-awareness? I know of three things...

1. Take personality tests

There's the Myers-Briggs, from Karl Jung's personality theory, formatted into a test by the mother-daughter team of Myers and Briggs for use during WW II when placing women in the workforce then later for submarine crews.  It's great for helping you see how you interact with others and in forming teams that can complement each other.  It's also very helpful in marriage. Your score changes very little over time. I am the least common score, the "ENTP", called "the inventor".  When I read a detailed summary of my score I literally wept.  I finally felt understood, even if it was just by a test.

Then there is the DISC test, commonly taught with cute animal images like the lion, otter, golden retriever, and the beaver   I can't remember the animal I am, but I'm well acquainted with my score, High D, High I, Very Low S, and slightly higher C.  I know my chart and my strengths and weaknesses reflected on this profile.  I have to be careful about pushing others too hard, I need to be more persuasive, and give more attention to details, or find others who can. What's funny about the Myers-Briggs and the DISC is that I have found several other people, men and women who have the exact some scores.  That makes me nervous. We all are vastly different.  Each of these tests has 16 possible combinations, which is not really very many, when you are talking about a personality.  It wasn't until we turn to the "Strengthsfinder" that we start to see real discriminating scores.

The "strengthsfinder" test has a possible 33 million possible combinations.  Needless to say none of my friends matched my scores there.  This test was design by Gallup and differs from most others in that in is NOT psychological in nature.  It focuses on strengths and compares you to a host of people who were particularly strong in one area or another. It gives you your top 5 themes. I am highest in "strategic".

Other test I'd recommend are the Life-Mapping test, Learning Styles, Spiritual Gifts, and newest one I just tried, the IDAK.  Bottom line, tests are helpful, but one or two will give you a limited perspective on your strengths, weaknesses, and the general configuration of your personality.  It is incredibly helpful to take a constellation of personality and gifts tests to gain a well-rounded perspective. But then there is also real life.

2. Know your life story

More important than how you score when you fill in the blanks with your #2 pencil are the particulars of your life.  What were the biggest influences on you when growing up? Where there times of trauma or tragedy?  What were the high points?  When have you felt that you have done something particularly well AND you enjoyed doing it?  When did you come to Christ?  How has He typically used you?  What have been the most significant ministry experiences and who has most contributed to your spiritual growth?  When were there times of rapid growth or slow decline?  What issues have gripped you? How have you best been able to influence others?

Using a chronological chart, write out a summary of the key events and influences in your life. Show the ups and downs and look for patterns and themes. Share your "Life Map" with others and get their feed-back. God has sovereignly been guiding and directing your life and shaping you for a particular purpose. Psalm 139 reminds us:

Ps 139:16  "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

"The truth is, God has not called you to your life mission in spite of who you are; He has called you precisely because of who you are." (McNeal,  location 1620)

3. Consider your calling

Bobb Biehl in his ministry planning workshop "Masterplanning" asks us to consider "What is it that makes you weep and pound the table?"

For what has God placed a deep burden in you?

Even more important than the particulars of our personality, and the notable aspects of your life story, is the particular "call" God places on our life.  Throughout scripture we see God calling in a variety people in a variety of ways- Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Mary, and the apostle Paul, to name a few.  God called each in their own way, and each to their own mission. Don't get confused trying to discern exactly what God is saying.  Stay in His Word, and let Him build His convictions into you.  He will make clear his unique purpose as you continue to grow in self-awareness.

Phil 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.