Self-Awareness Is Not a Soft Skill

Debbie Fennell on April 27, 2026

Across our client engagements, one theme has surfaced consistently. Leaders are not just gaining insight into others. They are gaining clarity about themselves.

This shift is not abstract. It is practical.

This matters more than many leaders realize. Research suggests that while 95% of people believe they are self-aware, only 10 to 15% truly are (Eurich, 2018). This is not a reflection of intent. It reflects how difficult it is to see the full picture when you are in the frame.

Recently, leaders shared how impactful the introduction and integration of DiSC has been across both executive and leadership teams.

Leaders shared:

“I thought I understood my communication style. I did not realize how it was impacting others.”

“Team collaboration and using DiSC to dial into the impact of our styles and how it affects communication and team results. We are using tools to guide differences and team projects.”

“The most significant changes for our teams and executive staff were the development of shared understanding of one another’s communication styles through DiSC and awareness of the consequences of our actions and words.”

Self-awareness is often discussed as a foundational leadership skill. In practice, it is a performance lever.

When leaders understand their natural styles, how they show up under pressure, how they communicate, and how they are experienced by others, several things begin to shift.

Conversations become more intentional.
Reactions become more measured.
Decisions become more thoughtful.

Understanding our natural styles is step one. The real value of a tool like DiSC emerges when it is integrated into day-to-day work, where leaders begin to recognize patterns in themselves and others:

These patterns often become most visible:

  • When urgency increases
  • When navigating tension
  • When decisions are uncertain

This awareness creates choice.

Instead of reacting automatically, leaders can adjust in real time to better align with the needs of the moment and the people around them.

This is where self-awareness moves from insight to impact.

What Leaders Can Do Now

  • Identify one communication pattern that may be helpful in some situations but limiting in others
  • Ask for feedback from a trusted colleague on how your style is experienced
  • Pause in one high-stakes interaction this week and intentionally adjust your approach by dialing up or dialing down your style

Self-awareness is not about changing who you are. It is about expanding how effectively you lead others.

Leaders who understand themselves lead others with greater care and precision.

Reference:

Eurich, T. (2018). What self-awareness really is (and how to cultivate it). Harvard Business Review.

Shared from APRIL 2026 Issue of Thunderbird Leadership Consulting ELEVATE – Tbird’s Hub for Practical Leadership Insights.

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The Most Overlooked Leadership Lever

Debbie Fennell on March 29, 2026

Why the First Six Months For Middle Managers Matter More Than We Think

Across industries, organizations are rediscovering a powerful truth: middle management is the operational bridge between strategy and execution. When this layer is strong, strategy translates clearly, culture travels consistently, and performance stabilizes. When it is under-supported, friction increases across the system.

The influence of this layer is measurable. Gallup research indicates that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement (Gallup, 2023). That means the middle layer is not simply administrative. It is determinative.

Middle management effectiveness does not begin on day one of promotion or hire. It begins with how organizations define, select, and integrate leaders into roles that require far more than technical expertise.

Research referenced by Gartner indicates that nearly 50% of first-time managers struggle significantly within their first 18 months. The issue is rarely intelligence or effort. More often, it reflects insufficient preparation for the relational and decision-making demands of leadership (Arruda, 2023).

What shifts this trajectory?

Consider these three factors: selection, integration, and success clarity.

1. Selecting candidates for leadership ability and technical excellence
Many middle managers are elevated for their executional strength. Yet leadership requires emotional regulation, communication discipline, influence without authority, and judgment under pressure. Organizations that assess readiness for people leadership, not just performance metrics, build stronger long-term capacity.

2. Treating the first six months as an integration window
New middle managers step into expanded complexity, even when they bring leadership experience from another organization. They translate strategy, coach performance, manage tension, and protect team energy. Structured onboarding, mentoring, and defined leadership development pathways signal that leading people is valued and recognized as a practiced capability, not an assumed trait.

3. Defining success with precision
Clarity accelerates confidence. When organizations clearly articulate what success looks like, including behavioral expectations, decision rights, and cultural standards, middle managers can align effort with impact. Precision builds momentum and reduces the strain inherent in ambiguity.

Empowering middle management does more than reduce early missteps. It strengthens retention, reinforces culture, and multiplies leadership capacity across the system.

The next big move is intentionally designing how the middle management team is selected, integrated, and supported.

Reflection
If you strengthened only one of these elements in the next six months, which would most improve middle management effectiveness and why?

References
Arruda, W. (2023, February 15). Why most new managers fail and how to prevent it. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2023/02/15/why-most-new-managers-fail-and-how-to-prevent-it/

Gallup. (2023). State of the global workplace report. Gallup.

Shared from March 2026 Issue of Thunderbird Leadership Consulting ELEVATE – Tbird’s Hub for Practical Leadership Insights.

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