A neuroscientist explains the importance of the most underrated skill for your professional and social success.
What makes a successful person? Ambition? diligence? Ruthlessness? There are different opinions on this. So examined For example, researchers asked 1,000 students from four different countries – including Germany – on their reactions and emotional thinking when confronted with challenging circumstances. The result? Hope, positive perceptions, and a sense of being in control led to a greater desire to achieve.
Well that Wish after performance is certainly well and good. But what constitutes success in professional and private life? Are the well-organized, confident problem solvers the ones at the top? Not necessarily, explains Harvard neuroscientist Juliette Han in an interview with “Make it”. She names a clear competitive advantage that some people have over the competition on the job market: self-awareness.
Why self-awareness is the key to success
What are we talking about when we talk about self-awareness? According to the Lexicon of Psychology, people with self-awareness have, among other things, “knowledge of their own positive and negative characteristics and behaviors”. But that’s not all it’s about, Han warns. According to the scientist, self-awareness also means thinking about one’s own strengths and connecting them to one’s own goals. This skill is the “most underappreciated” among people who are starting their careers, she adds.
The Research agrees: Those with a healthy sense of self are more confident and creative, make better-informed decisions, form stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively. It’s hardly surprising that someone who knows exactly who they are, their own abilities, but also their own values, goals and limits can make private and professional decisions much better than someone who constantly questions everything – and above all themselves. People are attracted to this type of person because they exude authenticity – a real advantage not only in working life.
How to develop better self-awareness
Now it is clear how helpful a healthy and stable self-perception can be in the job. But what if you are one of those people who lack exactly that? The neuroscientist has three tips for such cases that can help to develop better self-awareness.
1. Reflect on your own interests and skills
What you’re good at and what you enjoy doing are two of the most important questions to ask at work — whether we’re just starting a job or suffering from burnout, Han explains. “Do you enjoy leading a team or analyzing data? The answers to these questions can help you identify tasks you want to do over and over again.” Because let’s not kid ourselves: some work also consists of stupid, always the same activities that have to be done. Having at least a basic interest and having fun with it is extremely important. It’s even better if you really get absorbed in certain tasks.
But as the scientist has already explained: It is not enough to be aware of the interests. The next step is to develop a plan to improve your skills and focus on projects and tasks that really excite you.
2. Get feedback from colleagues and superiors
The next time you talk to your supervisor or your direct colleagues, you might be able to throw in the following question: “Can you tell me when I was helpful for your work and would you please be as specific as possible?” The answer to this can help you learn how your work affects those around you and how they view you and your abilities, Han explains.
In the same way, you can sometimes come across skills that you were not even aware of yourself. For example, if a co-worker praises your talent for multitasking, which you rarely use, it might be worth using and practicing that skill more often. For example, Han asked her friends what three qualities would describe them, and they all said “funny” among other things. So she realized that her sense of humor not only makes her a popular friend, but also a popular leader.
3. Set clear goals and track your steps towards them
Once you’re aware of your own abilities, a possible next step is to set specific goals and track your progress to stay motivated. In this way you can make your own work more efficient – which ultimately also leads to success.
Don’t expect big (and tangible) developments too soon, Han said. But it’s worth it, because the ability to perceive yourself would pay off in various prizes. The neuroscientist summarizes the importance of self-awareness as follows:
You can have all the skills and all the charisma in the world, but if you don’t perceive yourself and don’t know how to appear and interact in the world, it’s much more difficult to build strong relationships, with bosses and co-workers to interact and deepen friendships that are needed to be truly successful.
Sources used: cnbc.com, nypost.com, psycnet.apa.org, guilfordjournals.com, Spektrum.de