Leadership pressure has reached an all-time high. Shifting markets, generational differences, and accelerating decisions make self-awareness a decisive advantage. On today’s episode of The Small Business Show, Les Csorba, author of Aware: The Power of Seeing Yourself Clearly, CEO coach and partner at Heidrick & Struggles, breaks down how blind spots hinder leaders and how self-awareness drives performance, better cultures and sharper decision-making.
Csorba draws on more than three decades advising executives and boards, as well as his experience as a former Special Assistant to President George H.W. Bush. He identifies blind spots as one of the most common barriers to leadership effectiveness, noting that increasing self-awareness strengthens a leader’s ability to identify misalignment early and correct course before performance suffers.
"The greatest tool a leader has for transformation is heightened self-awareness."
The self-awareness gap
Research reveals a significant disconnect between perception and reality. While most individuals believe they are self-aware, studies show that only a small percentage truly are. Heidrick & Struggles analyzed 75,000 leadership assessments and found that just 13% demonstrated genuine self-awareness.
For small- to mid-size business owners, this gap carries operational consequences. Blind spots, rather than lack of effort or intelligence, often limit growth. Leaders may believe they communicate clearly or empower teams effectively, while employees experience confusion or inconsistency. Increasing self-awareness strengthens a leader’s ability to identify misalignment early and correct course before performance suffers.
Common leadership blind spots
One of the most prevalent blind spots is people-pleasing. Leaders who focus on being liked may avoid difficult conversations, delay accountability, or hesitate to make necessary personnel decisions. While empathy remains essential, leadership also requires firmness and clarity.
Other blind spots include micromanagement, emotional reactivity, lack of presence, and conflict avoidance. These patterns frequently develop unintentionally but can erode trust and productivity over time. Naming these tendencies reduces their influence and creates space for improvement.
Leading in a multigenerational workplace
Today’s workforce often includes four generations working together. Each group brings different expectations around communication, work ethic, and career progression. Without self-awareness, generational differences can quickly turn into unproductive stereotypes.
Self-aware leaders examine their own assumptions and adjust their approach accordingly. That adaptability strengthens collaboration and reduces friction, particularly in small and mid-size businesses where team dynamics directly affect results.
Agility, foresight, and decision-making
Rapid technological change and economic uncertainty demand greater agility from business leaders. Traditional long-term planning models built around fixed multi-year strategies offer less certainty than in previous decades.
Agility now functions as a core leadership skill. Leaders must process data quickly, pivot when necessary, and make disciplined decisions under pressure. Csorba emphasizes that foresight often outweighs forecasting. Data is abundant; clarity and judgment differentiate high-performing leaders.
Self-awareness improves both. Leaders who understand their own biases, emotional triggers, and risk tolerance make more consistent, thoughtful decisions.
Culture and performance
The link between self-awareness and organizational performance is well documented. Higher self-awareness correlates with stronger results, greater emotional intelligence, and a lower likelihood of unethical behavior.
In small- to mid-size businesses, culture directly reflects leadership behavior. Leaders set the tone through values, communication style, and daily decisions. A healthy culture does not develop by accident; it forms through consistent modeling from the top.
A practical starting point
One actionable step delivers immediate impact: build an ongoing feedback culture.
Annual reviews rarely drive meaningful change. Leaders benefit from inviting regular, candid feedback from trusted team members and explicitly granting permission to raise concerns. Senior executives often operate inside a leadership bubble where direct reports hesitate to challenge them. Intentionally cultivating constructive pushback improves decision quality and strengthens accountability.
Self-awareness sharpens judgment, strengthens culture, and enhances adaptability. For growing businesses navigating uncertainty, it functions as a strategic lever that compounds over time. Csorba’s book, Aware, provides a practical guide to seeing oneself clearly, recognizing blind spots, and applying that clarity to lead more effectively.
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