Self-awareness precedes situational awareness

What sets great leaders apart in times of crisis and change? In this week's episode, John shares a powerful insight he gained from Chick-fil-A chairman Dan Cathy on the importance of self-awareness and situational awareness for leaders — especially in tough times!

After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Goede discuss practical ways to cultivate these awarenesses as a leader. They explore how seeking honest feedback, asking thoughtful questions, and learning from role models can expand your leadership capacity.

Key takeaways:

• Self-awareness doesn't happen in isolation—it requires the courage to invite feedback from others and the humility to receive it.

• Before you can lead yourself effectively, you must first know yourself authentically. Self-awareness precedes situational awareness.

• Situational awareness grows through experience, but you can accelerate it by asking "What would a leader I admire do in this situation?" and seeking input from trusted mentors.

Our BONUS resource for this episode is the Why Self-Awareness Sets Great Leaders Apart Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John's teaching. You can download the worksheet by visiting MaxwellPodcast.com/SelfAware and clicking "Download the Bonus Resource."

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References:

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