Self-awareness is a critical capacity in becoming a leader.
In fact, research suggests that leaders who are self-aware succeed at a much higher level than those who are not.
Hope Collaborative works with emerging youth leaders. We consistently discover that insights of youth participants into advanced social-emotional concepts and skill building can be profound.
Young leaders' descriptions of the transformative power of leadership development can be our best record of success. In the Hope leadership video we feature today, Hope participants at Friends of the Children in Boston demonstrate critical understanding of themselves—and the broader concepts of self-awareness—with startling truth and clarity.
In fact, research suggests that leaders who are self-aware succeed at a much higher level than those who are not.
Hope Collaborative works with emerging youth leaders. We consistently discover that insights of youth participants into advanced social-emotional concepts and skill building can be profound.
Young leaders' descriptions of the transformative power of leadership development can be our best record of success. In the Hope leadership video we feature today, Hope participants at Friends of the Children in Boston demonstrate critical understanding of themselves—and the broader concepts of self-awareness—with startling truth and clarity.
 | Da'Quan focuses on the skill of Self-Reflection, and admits he often acts out on impulse. You will see that developing self-awareness with Hope leads him to understand that "being aware of your actions can lead to better relationships, and how you are treated and how you treat others in life." |
 | "Being open-minded means you're willing to change your mistakes...don't be afraid to ask questions," shares Kausu, who chose Being Open-Minded as his leadership development skill because it is one of the qualities he discovered in himself during the module. Kausu believes that open minds can change not only individuals but a world community. Younger children will follow in the footsteps of open-minded adults, he believes, when they see past violence to rebuild communities. |
 | Kiana, whose chosen skill is Honesty, talks candidly about how much her relationships have improved during the program due to practicing this core leadership skill. "I value what other people think of me," she says, adding that even though it can be difficult, "...when I started being honest with people, I felt like it helped more because...I got to learn and process what happens when I lie." When she's more honest with her mother, for example, her mother is more understanding of Kiana's needs. "A lot of rewards can come if you're honest." |
 | Lacretsha's self-awareness skill is Determination, which to her means "no matter what you're going through, you can't give up." This is an essential skill for leaders, she explains, who are setting the pace for a group: "You have to show people that you're determined, because if you're not determined, nobody else is gonna be determined...you have to be an influence." |
 | Jahnea shares an artistic poster showing her own self-awareness skill of Self-Management—"figuring out how you feel and how to choose a solution for it." She advises checking in on your emotions and then creating a list of response options for yourself. "If your first response doesn't work the first time then go back to your list and try another response." She adds that it's important to pick something positive—"something that doesn't hurt you or others." |
 | For Sebastian, learning the self-awareness skill of Patience has meant learning "how to control my anger, and talk to people with more kindness, and [more] respectfully." He emphasizes that being in the position of a leader means dealing with stress, and that patience can help leaders accomplish all of their goals. His best advice is to "use your talents in patience"—focus on things that you love in order to help you stay the course. |
 | Arlandey, whose self-awareness skill is Knowing Strengths & Weaknesses, feels that his participation in the video is a great example of improving on a weakness through practice. "Even though I don't like public speaking, I took the risk of public speaking, and that's helping me improve on how I speak in front of people." His confidence on camera is inspiring as he shares: "What self-awareness means to me is what you're capable of, and how to control your emotions, because as a leader you need those type of skills to teach other people how to do specific things." |
Knowing and understanding yourself is a lifelong journey.
We wish each of these young leaders success as they learn from each other the powerful dynamics of a self-aware leader, and the kind of impact they can have.
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