The Importance of Self-Awareness - Book Report/Review Example

This topic is important, since it creates an opportunity for self-understanding, while also paving the way for improving and developing more positive behavioral characteristics that promotes teamwork. This is instrumental for enhancing productive interactions, both in business and at the workplace.

Self-Assessment

Based on the Enneagram, I am a performer. This is because; I always organize myself to achieve the goals I have set for my life, without any due regard to factors that could hinder me from achieving. I always maintain a positive attitude even amidst discouragements, an aspect that has always allowed me to achieve some complex tasks, which could otherwise not have been achieved by the faint-hearted. I tend to work towards achieving my set goals and successes so that I can become successful, and in that way, I can obtain recognition, respect, and admiration from others (Reynolds, 2010).

While working with others, my behavior is characterized by patience, where I take most of my time allowing others to make their contributions, while considering each valuable idea they generate and thus gaining the advantage of learning from the new ideas contributed by others. I am also patient with the people who disagree with me and those who tend to criticize my views or opinions. For example, I do not hasten to enter into an argument with them, but rather prefer to take their opposing views and respond to them accordingly. Good listening skills also characterize my behavior. I am always eager to learn from others. For example, I rarely disrupt my colleagues and peers when they are giving their contributions. Another of my character is that I am bold, therefore I do not fear trying to solve problems the best way I can, even when my attempts do not provide the perfect solution. I believe in trying than sitting back and watching issues passing unaddressed.

My positive characteristics influence my interactions with others through gaining respect and an audience whenever I am making contributions. This is because; my peers and colleagues have realized that I am patient and good at listening, since, for example, I do not interrupt others when they are making their contributions. Additionally, they know that I am bold, thus I normally make attempts to seek solutions to whichever problem the team or group is facing. This way, the group respects my contributions and thus gives me an audience whenever I am making my contributions.

However, I have various negative characteristics, which include being evasive. I am fond of evading to handle issues that I feel uncomfortable with, or even confronting my team members whenever I feel that they have gone wrong, rather preferring to just give them an audience, and only respond during my contributions. Another of my negative characteristic is perfectionism. I do not like failing in any aspect of the group or teamwork, and I try very much to perfect every one of my moves and responses, which forces me to spend much time handling unnecessary and trivial details, while in essence, I could be dealing with the real problem. This causes many delays in my submissions to the group, which affects the effectiveness and timeliness of the group presentations. Another weak characteristic that I possess is that I do not like being perceived as a failure. Therefore, I tend to avoid criticism very much, so that I will not end up feeling offended. This affects my productivity in the group since I tend to be more reserved and cautious. Such an instance is when I refused to make a presentation because I felt I had not prepared well, for the fear that I would be criticized.

Action Learning

I intend to stop being a perfectionist, by stopping to take much time in handling petty details, which delays my accomplishment of a task. This will enable the group to start accomplishing its tasks in good time. Therefore, I will start making schedules that allocate time for every activity. I want to boost my courage within the next 6-8 months, to address the weakness of fearing to fail. This I will achieve through committing myself to try anything and taking every criticism positively. Finally, I intend to change my evasive behavior, by starting to confront my team members in issues I feel have gone wrong, rather than just sitting and watching as they go wrong. This is essential since it will save the group much time by avoiding revisiting matters which we could have corrected initially.

Conclusion

Self-awareness is essential for behavioral development and adaptation. Patience, good listening skills, and boldness are some of the positive characteristics that enable a group to achieve its tasks easily and in a timely manner since such characteristics allow for a productive interaction of the group members. However, evasion, the fear of failing, and extreme perfectionism serve to derail the group or team’s achievements. The impact of self-awareness on my approach to future behavior is that; it will enhance a productive relationship with others in business and at work, by enabling me to address issues in a timely manner, and thus avoid derailing others.