Self-Awareness- final 8-

9-23
Slide number Slide talk through red is content on the slide Suggested changes
by facilitator
1 Introduce yourself.

Welcome to the session on self-awareness today. Many people have heard of

self-awareness, what do you see self-awareness as?

2 This session is part of the RGM domain of emotional intelligence

3  To gain understanding of self-awareness; what it is and why it’s

important
 To gain insight into the types of self-awareness
 How to develop and improve self-awareness
 Activities to improve self-awareness
 Gain your feedback to inform future sessions

4 Self-awareness is your ability to perceive and understand the things that make
you who you are as an individual, including your personality, actions, values,
beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Essentially, it is a psychological state in which
the self becomes the focus of attention
5 Discuss with the group;

Internal self- awareness includes how well a person know themselves,

especially in terms of values, passions, aspirations, ability, thoughts, feelings
and behavioural patterns. It is about knowing ourselves and involves the ability
to introspect and gain insight into the inner workings of our mind and the factors
that influence thoughts and actions.

This includes being attuned to your emotions, recognizing your strengths and
weaknesses, understanding what drives you, and being conscious of your
thought patterns.

It helps individuals become more in tune with their authentic selves and allows
them to make choices that align with their true values and aspirations.
Additionally, internal self-awareness plays a crucial role in emotional
intelligence, personal growth, effective communication, and building healthy
relationships with oneself and others.

By having a good understanding of yourself, you are more likely to achieve

greater happiness and sense of fulfilment, while suffering from less anxiety,
stress, guilt, and other negative emotions

Ask students to consider:

Has there been occasions when you have responded to an event and later on
not understood why you reacted in that way?

Let students have a think, then explain:

Even recognizing that this was not the way you wished to respond, or ‘that
wasn’t me’ is the first step in recognizing you have a blind spot in the
understanding of yourself. The second step is to actively seek out that
understanding; to become more self-aware.

6 Instead of introspection, external self-awareness is achieved through seeking

 feedback from others. How well do you understand how other people view you?

By developing external self-awareness, you can avoid having blind spots in your
self-image, which then allows you to spot discrepancies and be able close the
gap.

Looking at yourself through the lens of others also helps you communicate and
work with others more empathetically therefore, as a result boosts interpersonal
relationships as well as leadership skills.

Ask the question: how do others see you? Do they see you the way you want to
been seen? Can you remember a time when people have ‘got your wrong’?
what do you think was going on here? Would anyone like to share this
experience.

Facilitator can share an experience if they feel comfortable.

It is important though to acknowledge that others will also have their own way of
interpreting other people. Try not to rely on only one persons view. The more
peoples opinions you can gather the better, as this will give you an average.
Don’t forget that the aim here is not to find out peoples opinion of you, as that
can feel like we are being judged, it is discover if people are seeing the ‘real you’
the you you want them to see. It is striving for authenticity.

7 The concept of the four self-awareness archetypes is derived from the Johari
Window, a psychological model that explores how individuals perceive
themselves and are perceived by others.

It was developed by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955. The
Johari Window divides self- awareness into four quadrants, each representing
different aspects of knowledge about oneself. Here are the four self-awareness
archetypes:

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8 Improved Emotional Intelligence: Self-aware individuals can manage their

 emotions better and understand others' feelings effectively.

Better Decision-Making: Understanding our biases and motivations enables us

to make more rational and informed choices.

Strengthening Relationships: Self-awareness fosters empathy and

communication skills, enhancing our relationships with others.

Understanding our emotions and reactions: helps us communicate more

authentically and empathize with others.

Self-aware individuals are better at resolving conflicts and maintaining healthier

relationships.
9 Enhanced Leadership: Self-aware leaders are better at inspiring and motivating
their teams, leading to increased productivity and success.

Personal Growth: Acknowledging areas for improvement leads to continuous

self-development and growth.

Reduced Stress: Self-awareness helps manage stress by recognizing triggers

and implementing coping strategies.

Authenticity: Being self-aware allows us to be true to ourselves, fostering

authenticity in our interactions with others.

It fosters a continuous learning mindset and a willingness to embrace change.

10 Its is suggested that self-awareness is at the core of emotional intelligence

It enables us to identify and manage our emotions effectively, leading to better

interpersonal relationships.

In his book, Goleman defines emotional intelligence as “the capacity for

recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and
for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships
11 Being self-aware allows us to recognize our biases and limitations, leading to
more rational and informed decision-making.
 It helps us align our choices with our values and long-term goals.

Developing self-awareness is crucial to setting clear and realistic goals and

directions, and also helps enhancing a person’s self-confidence, direction, and
discipline

12 Navigating the path of self-awareness comes with its share of challenges. One
of the most common hurdles is the tendency to deny or resist uncomfortable
truths about ourselves, often hindering our personal growth.

Additionally, confirmation bias, the inclination to seek out information that aligns
with our existing beliefs, can limit our perspectives and impede a well-rounded
self-understanding.

Overcoming the lack of objectivity caused by biases and emotional attachments

can be demanding, as it requires a clear and unbiased assessment of our
strengths and weaknesses. The fear of judgment, both from ourselves and
others, can deter us from exploring our inner thoughts and emotions candidly.

These challenges, while formidable, offer opportunities for growth, resilience,

and a deeper connection with our authentic selves.

13 Self-awareness and confirmation bias are two critical concepts that influence our
thoughts, behaviours, and interactions.

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to seek, interpret,

and remember information in a way that confirms their preexisting beliefs or
opinions. It can lead to selective perception and the reinforcement of existing
biases.

Self-awareness can help mitigate confirmation bias as when we are self-aware,

we are more likely to recognize our biases and be open to alternative
 perspectives.

Self-Aware individuals are more likely to acknowledge their own biases and
prejudices and been open to feedback, they may be willing to consider views
that challenge their own.

Self-awareness enables more balanced and rational decision-making by

reducing the influence of confirmation bias.

Self-awareness promotes empathy, making it easier to understand and

appreciate the perspectives of others

14 To help you overcome these challenges, we can participate in activities to help

improve your self awareness

15 Take 10 minutes and get into groups of 2 and ask each other these questions:

● What is one of your sparks (passions, interests, talents)?

● How did you discover that this is one of your sparks?
● How do you feel when you are doing your spark?
● Think of somebody who is really into their spark/passion. Describe what
you see.
● Do you have a spark champion (an adult who helps you explore and
develop your self-awareness skills)? If yes, describe how this person
helps you.
● Do you set goals and make plans to get better at your spark/talent? If
yes, give an example.

Facilitator can share some of their answers if they feel comfortable

16

Reflect on the sparks assessment and your answers and if you feel comfortable
feed back to the group

How did you feel completing this activity?

Did you find this helpful?

This kind of simple questioning can help you identify and build upon your
strengths.

17 Practice a short mindfulness exercise where you focus on your breath,

observing thoughts without judgment.

1. Sit back in a comfortable position. You can close your eyes, but it isn't
necessary. ...
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose. ...
3. Hold the air within your lungs, but not to the point of strain. ...
4. Pucker your lips, and slowly exhale through your mouth. ...
5. Repeat the breathing cycle for at least 2 minutes.

This activity helps cultivate present-moment awareness and promotes emotional

regulation.

Mindfulness is a tool that can be used to enhance self-awareness, by practicing

mindfulness, you can create the mental space needed to observe your thoughts
and emotions without judgment.

Mindfulness meditation in particular encourages self-awareness by prompting

you to notice your thoughts as they pass through your mind. Over time, this
practice can help you become more in touch with your mental and emotional
state, which can lead to a deeper understanding of yourself.
18
• Encourage individuals to maintain an emotion journal throughout the day.
• Record emotions experienced, the triggers, and how they responded to
those emotions.
• Reflect on patterns and areas where emotional intelligence can be
improved

Explain- by reading past entries can help you identify the different aspects of
yourself on reflection. Sometimes we can be surprised by how we have felt
about an event.

19 Does anyone already journal?

What benefits do they find?
If it is your first time, how did you feel completing the journal?

20 The Johari Window is a tool that helps us understand ourselves better by

looking at how we know ourselves and how others see us. Imagine a
window with four parts:

1. Open Area (Known to Self and Others): This is the part of you that you
know about yourself, and others also see it. It's like the things you show
to everyone. For example, if you're good at playing sports and you talk
about it, this is in the open area.

2. Blind Spot (Unknown to Self but Known to Others): This part has
things about you that you might not realize, but others notice. It's like
when you have a habit you didn't realize until someone pointed it out.
This is in the blind spot.

3. Hidden Area (Known to Self but Not Known to Others): This part is
like your secrets or private feelings that you don't show to everyone. It's
what you know about yourself, but others don't. For instance, if you're
 afraid of the dark but you don't tell anyone, this is in the hidden area.

4. Unknown Area (Unknown to Self and Others): This is like the mystery
part of you that even you don't know about, and nobody else does either.
It might be hidden talents or feelings you haven't discovered yet.
The Johari Window helps us see that by sharing things about ourselves
and getting feedback from others, we can expand the open area and
learn more about our blind spots and hidden areas. It's a way to learn,
grow, and improve how we relate to others.

• Introduce the Johari Window model and have participants create their
own Johari Window with the help of feedback from others.

21 Developing self-awareness is a journey of continuous growth and self-discovery.

The benefits extend to various aspects of life, enabling us to thrive emotionally,
socially, and professionally.

In the journey of personal growth and emotional intelligence, self-awareness

stands as a foundation. It helps us understand ourselves at a deeper level,
paving the way for more meaningful connections and a purpose-driven life.

Self-awareness is the art of knowing ourselves, from our emotions and thoughts
to the values that guide our actions. Self-awareness is a powerful tool with lots
of benefits. It helps us regulate our emotions, make wiser decisions, build
stronger relationships, and lead with empathy. It allows personal growth,
enabling us to confront challenges and it fosters collaborative teamwork, making
it valuable both personally and professionally.