Building self-awareness is critical to growth and maturity – or not?!

I’ve been in the business of helping leaders and teams for 25 years. One thing that has been constant through all these years is that it all comes down to self-awareness. The more you learn about yourself—from clearly defining your core values to understanding what your emotional triggers are—the better able you are to lead. But what if there is no ‘self?’

At our recent CliffsNotes Book Club, Hassan Kamel shared highlights from the book No Self, No Problem: How Neuropsychology is Catching Up to Buddhism, by Chris Niebauer. (ICYMI, check out the book notes on the portal.)
As you can tell from the title, this book puts into question the very existence of the notion of “self.”

Niebauer draws a connection between the foundational tenet of Buddhism called ‘Anatta,’ or the doctrine of no self, and the self or ego. He explains the self/ego as an illusion created by the left side of the brain. Niebauer explains that it doesn't mean that the self doesn't exist, but rather that it does so in the same way that a mirage in the middle of the desert exists—as a thought rather than a thing.
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Mind-blowing, I know!

What does this mean for leaders in the workplace?

As I processed this concept, I began to think of how much of my coaching work with leaders is focused on building self-awareness. It raised a different set of coaching questions for me. For example:

• How would you operate differently if you let go of your own deeply held beliefs as you collaborated with a work team?
• What are the up- and down-sides of having a strong point of view, an agenda to promote, or a vision to rally others to adopt? (And what would you do differently if you let go of these?)
• What is the role of ‘self’ in inspiring others?

Related readings

The discussion is still kicking around in my brain, and I’m also revisiting some resources that touch on related topics. Here are three:

• Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior by Leonard Mlodinow (book). Check out the notes on the CliffsNotes portal
• Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness by Marsha Lucas (book). Check out the notes on the CliffsNotes portal
• The Telepathy Tapes (podcast) – Note: season two addresses out-of-body experiences

​If this topic intrigues you, drop me a line! I’d love to hear what resonates.