When the 75 members of Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Advisory Council were asked to recommend the most important capability for leaders to develop, their answer was nearly unanimous: #Selfawareness.

The mind is the instrument through which we view the world. Paradoxically, it also stops us from viewing ourselves objectively & discovering our #blindspots.

I came across this #interestinganecdote about David Pottruck, ex-CEO of Charles Schwab. Always a high achiever, David completing his MBA at Wharton, worked with the Citi group & joined Charles Schwab as head of marketing.

An extremely hard worker, David couldn’t understand why his new colleagues resented the long hours he put in & his aggressiveness in pushing for results. It never occurred to him that his level of energy would intimidate &offend other people. In his mind he was trying to help the company.

David was shocked when his boss told him, that his colleagues didn’t #trust him.The#feedback hit him hard. He didn’t see himself as others saw him, as self-serving. On reflection, the feedback resonated as true.

David realized that he couldn’t succeed unless he identified & overcame his blind spots.

It takes tremendous courage&constant effort to increase #selfawareness. It is however the hallmark of a #leader!!!