The Path to Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is not standard material in MBA programs — and yet you teach it here at rotman. Why is it such an important attribute?

When we go out into the world and try to solve a problem, we create a model in our mind of what the problem ‘looks like’ — the issues involved, the context, the stakeholders, etc. Most people don’t think about it much, but each of us is a sort of ‘modeling machine’, constantly trying to make sense of the world and figure out what’s happening. The problem is, if we don’t model ourselves very well, it’s like having a map and knowing what you’re looking for, but not knowing where you are on the map; you’re never going to find it. Self-awareness provides a map of oneself and therefore, a more accurate map of the world that increases the likelihood that your modeling of problems is effective.

Former Medtronic CEO Bill George has called self-awareness “the starting point for leadership”. How do you react to that statement?

I completely agree. In leadership positions, peoples’ actions, motivations and emotions — everything about them—is amplified and seeps into the organization. If you have some dysfunctional interpersonal behaviours, that is normal; we can’t expect people in of your issues and to understand the ways in which you are imperfect. By ‘leading yourself’ in this way, you will be much more effective in leading others.