In a constantly evolving, globalized, and digitalized business world, female leadership is emerging as a powerful and transformative force. Women have been breaking molds, stereotypes, and barriers in place for years, hindering our success and contribution to a society of equity. However, the evolution must continue, and to lead effectively and achieve extraordinary results, women must dive into the journey of self-knowledge.
Perhaps many women are wondering: Why should I get to know myself? Is it necessary? Women might say, “What I should do is seek capital, define growth strategies, sales, and marketing plans, hire more people in my business, raise my salary, and convince others, and with that, I move forward!”
It’s not that simple, women.
We are more profound than those actions.
These questions above are why I want to talk to you in this article about how a deep understanding of oneself can catalyze women’s professional success.
Let’s start by understanding the connection between self-knowledge and leadership.
As Daniel Goleman explains in his book Emotional Intelligence, self-knowledge is one of the fundamental pillars of emotional intelligence. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence consists of five key elements, the first of which is self-awareness. People with high emotional intelligence understand their own emotions, know what triggers those emotions, and can also identify the feelings of others. It allows them to effectively manage interpersonal relationships, lead, and influence with empathy and understanding.
Women are undeniably skilled at juggling multiple roles in life: entrepreneur, team leader, wife, mother, daughter, professional, friend, athlete, etc. Knowing ourselves and managing our emotions is the first step in consciously deciding how we want to perform in those roles. Regardless of whether you hold a leadership position, we are the architects of our lives, and that is where the leadership role begins. I am not even talking about how many women avoid taking responsibility and owning their leadership in many aspects of their lives, but that is a topic for another article.
Returning to how a deep understanding of oneself can catalyze professional success, the second point is that self-knowledge allows you to define and DECIDE what you want for your life. There is no perfect time to begin, restart, or change course. It is often a fundamental concern for my clients when they attend coaching or career mentoring sessions with me. They doubt whether what they’re doing in their professions is what they genuinely want to do for the rest of their lives. They fear changing direction simply because they don’t believe they can start over. Or they feel trapped because they started a business based on their partner’s, spouse’s, or parents’ decisions. The serious issue is that they go through life without purpose or fulfillment, simply running on autopilot.
Self-knowledge helps you identify what makes you happy and satisfies you with life satisfaction. This way, you can align your decisions, actions, and personal and professional goals with your values, purpose, and talents. That’s when you start experiencing greater fulfillment in all areas of your life.
Similarly, a deep understanding of oneself catalyzes professional and personal success, leading to a better balance in life. For example, knowing yourself better enables you to manage stress and anxiety more effectively because you begin to identify those people, situations, or moments that trigger tension in your life—things that upset you, make you sick, or cause worry. From there, you start to define strategies to manage those stress-inducing situations better and significantly reduce anxiety, thus maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life, promoting your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Now, what are the obstacles to self-knowledge?
Women, in particular, face unique obstacles in the quest for self-knowledge. Economic needs, social pressure, and cultural expectations often push us to prioritize the needs of others over our own, making it challenging to dedicate time and energy to our personal growth. And when you add all the multiple roles and responsibilities we have, it makes it even harder to find time for reflection and self-analysis. But when there’s a will, there’s a way! We shouldn’t wait for a crisis or a difficult situation to start going within and connecting with our essence.
Many of us have experienced that. For example, I went through a period in my life where I faced challenging situations, suffered, and felt like I was in turbulence. Then, after some years, I declared: “ I choose to learn in my life with ease and harmony.” This declaration required an effort to stop living on autopilot, stop reacting, slow down the pace, and give me the space to get to know myself day by day and in every situation.
There are no obstacles when you want to live a conscious life. There are no obstacles when you understand that you are the one who decides how you want to live your life and when you realize that self-knowledge allows you to be the architect of your life.
Where to begin?
You can start with something simple: embracing your strengths and areas for improvement. Being aware of your natural talents, the gifts God has given you, and the strengths in your personality will help you develop greater self-confidence and strengthen your self-esteem. When you’re sure of who you are and what you can achieve, you become more resilient in facing challenges and more daring in pursuing your goals. On the other hand, embracing the areas that need improvement, those things you don’t like but know you must change, allows you to be compassionate with yourself. Instead of beating yourself up, criticizing yourself, or denying the opportunity to change, embracing your opportunities for improvement helps you evolve, learn, and decide to change those bad habits that hinder the achievement of your goals. It’s about lowering the barriers the ego imposes on us and navigating vulnerability to create the learning space needed to achieve the success you desire.
There are countless ways to practice self-knowledge, including reading self-improvement books, working with a coach, attending therapy, participating in support circles, practicing mindfulness, and many other activities and processes you can start without complaints or excuses.
The time is yours to decide.
In summary:
Self-knowledge is a powerful tool for women seeking to stand out in business and entrepreneurship. By understanding themselves deeply, women can effectively capitalize on their strengths and address their weaknesses. Understanding who you are allows you to navigate life with greater clarity, authenticity, and purpose. This journey of self-exploration not only drives professional success but also enables you to cultivate a more meaningful, fulfilling, and successful life in every aspect. Ivett Casanova
