I have been spending a lot of time lately thinking more about interviewing and assessing and selecting leaders. One of the topical areas I have reflected upon is the idea of self awareness. I found this on the Forbes blog site and it struck me that it is certainly true that there are many different meanings of self awareness.

I have found, however, that this term is interpreted in widely different ways. For some it means being introspective about yourself, and especially about your emotions and what causes you to be “up” or “down” in your outlook and behavior. For others it means being aware of your personal values and life goals. (If you discovered your house was burning, for example, what would you save?) Still others think it means being clear about the kinds of people you like and dislike and which activities bring you pleasure or boredom.

We take a different view. For us, the most important element of self-awareness, especially for those who lead organizations, is a clear understanding of the impact they are having on the people around them.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackzenger/2014/04/17/the-singular-secret-for-a-leaders-success-self-awareness/

I also suggest those interested read the HBR blog entitled, “How Leaders Become Self-Aware” by Anthony K. Tjan (July 19, 2012).