must encourage our students to think about how they gather thoughts and feelings that relate to how others perceive them. Developing self-awareness requires some reflective activity; I learned this through my PhD research, which highlighted that reflection is central to its development. As teachers, we must engender a reflective environment and help students learn methods of reflection. Why we need a greater focus There is a real case to be made for business students spending time and effort developing self-awareness and for programmes to include a module on it. Firstly, there are many instances in academic literature linking it to the effectiveness, success and authenticity of a leader, as well as promotion opportunities. I also believe that it could help students better understand their learning preferences, how they create meaning and start really thinking about how they will apply that learning to their work life. Secondly, developing self-awareness supports leaders in developing what 19th-century poet John Keats described as “negative capability”, which he defined as “capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries and doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” I believe this is core to leading in today’s environment – often described as a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) or BANI (brittle, anxious, non-linear and incomprehensible) world. Self-awareness has this effect because the more we develop it, the more we accept ourselves and acknowledge that we do not have all the answers. We can then start to disconnect our ego from outcomes. Thirdly, through self-connection we develop greater engagement with team members because through the process of accepting ourselves we become more accepting of others. This can then underpin team cohesion, employee satisfaction and retention. Based on my own experience, I am aware that self-awareness is often taught in a very limited way, only focusing on one or two elements, for instance through the use of a personality profile. Instead, I would recommend that an entire module be dedicated to self-awareness and personal development. I recognise that many will not have the time to teach the whole construct in depth. However, the proposed framework will give both tutors and
“As teachers, we must engender a reflective environment and help students learn methods of reflection”
students greater clarity around the construct of self-awareness and an appreciation of how all the components fit together. I would, therefore, recommend that the whole model be presented to students before homing in on those components that are relevant to the module being taught. For example, where there is a heavy emphasis on leadership authenticity, the tutors might focus on the intra-personal components relating to values and beliefs. At undergraduate level – when self-awareness is being taught and explored for the first time – it is important to start by achieving clarity around what it is and how it differs from self-consciousness and self-knowledge. One activity to explore the definitions of the construct could involve asking students to generate ideas on the similarities and differences of self-knowledge, self-consciousness and self-awareness before the tutor shares their own perspective.
32 Business Impact • ISSUE 2 • 2026
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