Self-Awareness

Rayan Ibrahim Mohsen AL-Nami

D.Mohammad Al-Hakami
We people who are not very have all encountered
self-awareness. Our vision clearly reveals their flaws and
shortcomings, but they seem unable to recognize them.
Self-awareness is not an exciting, get-you-excited topic, but
it is essential for fruitful leadership. You can pay a high price
for not being self-aware in pastoral ministry if you are not
. aware of who you are
-1
What’s underneath the surface driving your life
This question requires a lot of self-reflection. Every day,
especially as a pastor and leader, you are making decisions,
responding to circumstances, interacting with people, and
running after aspirations. But what is driving these things?
This question demands that you reflect on your past, your
hurts, and your experiences to see if you can detect things
.underneath your decisions
Here is an example. When I was in high-school, I did what
many high-schoolers do. I made terrible decisions, lied to my
parents about where I was and what I was doing, and lived
in rebellion against God. Many things I did and participated
in were not things that I thought were worthwhile or
joy-giving, but things that I thought would win the approval of
others. If I am not careful today, I can still lead out of the
.need to please others
What things from your past may be driving your
decision-making today? Are you trying to prove yourself
because of a lack of approval from a parent or friend group?
Are your aspirations less about the kingdom of God and
more about being considered a success? I know these
questions are not fun to ask, but we need to discern what is
.underneath the hood of our lives
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?What are your blind spots
By definition, you should not be able to answer this question
unless you are either talking about the past or you have
asked somebody to point them out to you. You cannot
discover your blind spots through self-discovery. Why?
Because you are oblivious to them! You need to invite some
others into your life who can help you discern blind spots
.that may be costing you in your leadership
Bill Hybels stated several years ago at the Global
Leadership Summit that research shows the average person
has 3.4 blind spots. Your natural response is probably to
think, “Not me!” But humor me for a moment and pretend it is
true. It would mean you have 3 things in your life and
leadership that you don’t see, but others around you see,
.that is costing you. That is a sobering thought
:Here are some ways you can discover your blind spots
Ask your spouse. If you are married, trust me, they know and
.see things about you that you refuse to see
Ask a trusted friend. Have a friend share with you things they
have noticed about you or your temperament that you may
?not be aware of, after all, what are friends for
Ask a supervisor or direct report. If you have someone you
are accountable to, they likely know the blind spots you
have. If you have people you lead, they certainly see your
blind spots. Beg people to help you see two or three things
about your leadership style or behaviors that you may not
.realize are costing you credibility or effectiveness
Your blindspots can cost you a lot of leadership credibility. In
order to become self-aware, leaders need to address their
.blind spots
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?How is your physical, spiritual, and emotional health
Do not ignore this question. It has three distinct aspects,
which are all very relevant to your leadership.
Self-awareness on the part of the leader is knowing how we
.are doing in each of these areas of our lives
How is your physical health? Are you overweight? Are you
getting enough sleep? Are you eating healthy and getting
exercise? These questions matter because how you are
doing physically can have an impact on your energy levels
and mood. It is imperative for us to try and eat a healthy diet,
.exercise regularly, and take adequate rest
How is your spiritual health? Is your prayer life vibrant and
child-like? Are you reading the Word and having your soul
nourished by its truths? Are you confessing, repenting, and
battling against sin? These are non-negotiable aspects of
.our spiritual health
How is your emotional health? Are you quick to anger? Do
you find yourself withdrawing emotionally from people
around you? Do you find yourself taking shortcuts because
you don’t want to deal with particular issues? These
.questions can help us gauge our emotional health
In Closing
I want to close with some transparency from my own life. I
am currently working through some emotional fatigue. I have
been pastoring for nearly twelve years, and have never had
a sabbatical, but I am taking my first sabbatical in December.
.It has been a hard year
I have a son with medical issues, which constantly weighs
on me. I lost my uncle this year to a heart-attack. We had a
young church member killed in a car accident recently.
Additionally, we have had multiple issues with people in the
church this year. It has been hard. It has taken an emotional
toll on me. It is significant for me to be able to admit that and
know it impacts my leadership. I find myself currently without
the energy to engage in needed debates and necessary
conflicts. I am self-aware of my emotional fatigue and I am
.taking the time I need to get healthy
Pastors, we cannot run and finish the race if we do not make
it to the end. To make it to the end we need to be self-aware
of what is driving us, our blindspots, and our physical,
.spiritual, and emotional health
Sources :

1 - https://research.lifeway.com

2 - wordtune.com