Strategies for Cultivation 1. Listen--To others and to yourself. There is no substitute for paying attention and being willing to listen to what is unfolding in and around you. Listen, and listen well. 2. Personal Reflection--Practices like journaling, meditation, mindfulness serve to engage your inner world. Ray Dalio, head of one of 3. Feedback from others--This can include asking direct reports for points of today’s most successful frustration or things they appreciate about you. The same can be asked of hedge funds has a bold colleagues and board members. and thought-provoking 4. 360 Review--For a more formal version of feedback, consider engaging with perspective on this topic. a 360 review from a professional coach. These reviews offer quality informa- A perspective we all can tion because they are conducted thoroughly and by an independent party. learn from. Not only does 5. Trusted Friends--Self-awareness is cultivated by having multiple vantage he highlight the impor- points to see ourselves from different perspectives. The longevity and trust tance of self-awareness present in our closest friendships offers an invaluable entry point into 3 self-awareness. in his book Principles 6. Therapy--A good therapist can go a long way towards helping us under- but, he recently identified stand the things that shape us and drive us. meditation as the single greatest contributor to his 7. Coaching--Similar skills of a therapist but pointed at specific applications success. Meditation serves within your life or work. as a fantastic vehicle to 8. Mentoring--A trusted mentor can be another valuable angle to see yourself cultivate more awareness from with the added benefit of having familiarity with the roads you are of our inner world. walking down. 9. Reading--Read books and articles that consistently feed your curiosity about who you are and how you operate. Applications for Self-Awareness • Being aware of your tendencies allows you to make informed decisions about where to put your energy. • Find your blind spots and correct for them. This takes work and a willing- ness to accept our limitations. But once located, you have the opportunity to surround yourself with people and systems that correct for your blind spots. • Recognize your emotional and relational defaults. Once identified, imple- ment a strategy to address these default patterns. These patterns can in-