I don’t feel comfortable around people who can’t see their own patterns playing out, especially the harmful ones.
I find myself moving away from them because it feels to me like I’m watching a car crash play out in slow motion.
I’ve always felt that there is something off about an unwillingness to self-examine. It’s either fear of what will be uncovered, or a lack of ambition to grow. Both are problematic and speak to a bigger issue, but either way, it’s a clear signal that something is off and needs some exploring.
For a CEO not to be able to self-examine is like playing Russian Roulette: it’s just a matter of time before one of the blind spots brings you down.
There are three parts to self-examination:
- The willingness to assess yourself honestly
- Knowing the right bar against which to assess (i.e what excellent is)
- Recognising your gaps and their implications
Any one of the above is dense and is worthy of many more column inches.
Some of the above you’ll need help with because the CEO context is so complex.
All of the above require a firmly-in-check ego.
As the year closes and a new one peaks over the horizon, this is the time of a CEO’s year where thought is appropriate, particularly self-assessment.