If you lead a team or an organisation, you’re carrying a lot. Strategy, pressure, performance, people. You’re expected to have the answers, stay composed, and keep moving. But there’s one role you probably weren’t trained for, and it might be the most important one you’ve got.

Self-awareness.

Not the once-a-year kind in a feedback session or leadership workshop. The real kind. The kind that shows up in quiet moments, when something inside you says, “Something’s not right.” The kind that tells you when you’re drifting off course, when you’re reacting instead of responding, when you’re exhausted but still pushing through.

It’s not optional. It’s not a “nice to have.” It’s the backbone of how you lead, how you decide, and how you show up. And it’s hard. There’s no off switch, no handbook, no gold star for getting it right every day. Some weeks you’ll be in tune with yourself. Other weeks, you’ll miss the signs. You’ll stay in overdrive too long, skip the pause you needed, ignore the tension in your gut.

That doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human. Even self-awareness pros have off days. What matters is whether you come back to it.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

Self-awareness is the internal system check most leaders skip. You notice the KPIs, the team dynamics, the P&L. But do you notice your own mental and emotional signals? Or do you only pay attention when things break?

A lack of self-awareness doesn’t just affect you. It leaks into how you lead. It shows up in decisions made too fast, feedback delivered too harshly, boundaries pushed too far. And your team feels it. They might not be able to name it, but they notice when you’re running on fumes.

Leadership isn’t just about driving outcomes. It’s about how you show up in the process. If you’re not leading yourself with awareness, you’re likely leading others on autopilot.

Selfish Isn’t a Dirty Word

Let’s flip the narrative. What if being a better leader starts by being more selfish? Not self-centred, not careless, but strategically selfish.

It means:

• Set boundaries so your time and energy go where they matter most

• Prioritise your wellbeing instead of powering through until you crash

• Lead with intention rather than constantly reacting

• Foster growth for yourself and others from a place of presence, not pressure

You can’t protect your mental health without self-awareness. You can’t model calm and clarity if you’re burning out quietly in the background.

This is a Practice, Not a Performance

Self-awareness isn’t about being perfectly in tune all the time. It’s about checking in regularly. Asking real questions.

• What do I need today to feel grounded?

• What’s draining me right now?

• Where am I not being honest with myself?

Try one check-in a day. Two minutes of quiet before the chaos. Or a quick journal note at the end of a long one. This role doesn’t require perfection. It requires presence.

Your Team Learns From What You Model

The way you care for your own mental health sets the tone. When you normalise reflection, boundaries, and emotional honesty, you create space for others to do the same. That’s real leadership. Not running yourself into the ground, but showing others what it looks like to lead from a place of strength.

Some days will feel off. You’ll slip. You’ll default to old habits. That’s part of the work. Just come back to the role.

Mental health is a full-time job. Self-awareness is the role. And leading well starts with leading yourself first.