The Importance of Self-Awareness
We spend a lot of time trying to be everything to everyone—at work, at home, and in our communities. But the truth is, the most effective, confident, and fulfilled people aren’t those who try to do it all. They’re the ones who understand who they are, what they naturally do best, and how to leverage those strengths in every area of life.
For me, that understanding started with learning about personality preferences through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Over the years, I’ve used this framework personally and professionally, and it’s been a game changer. I’m certified in MBTI and work with teams to improve performance through better communication and collaboration. When individuals understand how they prefer to take in information, make decisions, and interact with the world, it’s as if the fog lifts. They begin to see patterns that explain why certain tasks energize them while others drain them, and why they click with some people right away and struggle with others.
The Power of Knowing Your Preferences
MBTI identifies preferences across four areas:
- Where you focus your energy (Extraversion or Introversion)
- How you take in information (Sensing or Intuition)
- How you make decisions (Thinking or Feeling)
- How you approach structure (Judging or Perceiving)
These preferences don’t put people in boxes—they provide a framework for understanding differences. For example, someone who prefers Extraversion may think out loud and process ideas through conversation, while an Introvert may need quiet reflection before sharing their thoughts. In a team setting, that difference alone can create unnecessary tension if it isn’t understood.
I once worked with a team where the extroverted members dominated meetings, unintentionally leaving little room for their introverted colleagues. After completing MBTI assessments and discussing each person’s type, the team agreed to add silent brainstorming before group discussions. The shift was immediate. Introverts had time to gather their thoughts, and the quality of ideas shared in meetings improved significantly. Understanding preferences didn’t just change how they communicated—it changed the team’s results.
Strengths: Turning Self-Awareness into Action
While MBTI helps us understand how we operate, the CliftonStrengths (StrengthsFinder) assessment helps us discover what we naturally do best. It identifies your top talents—the recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that drive your best performance.
When I combine MBTI and StrengthsFinder in my coaching and training sessions, something powerful happens. MBTI lays the foundation for self-awareness, and StrengthsFinder builds on that by turning awareness into action. It bridges the gap between knowing who you are and applying it to your work and relationships.
For example, a client once shared that she constantly felt overlooked in leadership meetings. Through MBTI, she discovered she preferred Introversion and Intuition—she liked to reflect deeply before speaking and often connected ideas that others missed. Her top StrengthsFinder themes included Strategic, Input, and Intellection, which reinforced her natural tendency to process internally before contributing. Instead of trying to be the loudest voice in the room, she started sending concise summaries of her thoughts after meetings. Her insights quickly gained recognition, and leadership began seeking her perspective more proactively. She didn’t change who she was—she learned how to work with her preferences and strengths instead of against them.
Applying Strengths and Preferences in Relationships
Understanding yourself is only half of the equation. The real transformation happens when you begin to understand and appreciate the differences in others. Whether it’s a coworker, spouse, or friend, knowing how others see and process the world helps us communicate more effectively and reduce unnecessary conflict.
At work, I often see high-performing teams plateau because of communication breakdowns rather than lack of skill. For instance, a Thinking preference may value logic and efficiency in decision-making, while a Feeling preference prioritizes harmony and impact on people. Neither is wrong—they simply have different starting points. When teams learn to balance those approaches, decisions become stronger and relationships healthier.
On a personal level, this awareness can be just as meaningful. One of my favorite stories comes from a married couple who both completed MBTI and StrengthsFinder as part of a leadership retreat. They discovered that their ongoing arguments about “communication styles” weren’t about lack of love or respect—they were about differences in preferences. One partner thrived on external processing (Extraversion), while the other needed space to reflect (Introversion). Once they recognized that, they adjusted how they approached conversations. What once caused frustration became a source of understanding and humor.
From Awareness to Growth
Both MBTI and StrengthsFinder remind us that growth doesn’t come from changing who we are—it comes from refining how we use what we’ve been given. When we know our preferences, we can make better decisions about how we work, lead, and relate to others. When we know our strengths, we can focus our energy on the areas where we naturally thrive instead of trying to force ourselves into someone else’s mold.
Here are a few practical ways to apply this in your daily life:
- Reflect regularly. Ask yourself what tasks or interactions gave you energy today and which drained you. Patterns will emerge over time.
- Communicate your preferences. Share how you work best with your team or partner. It’s not selfish—it’s setting yourself and others up for success.
- Acknowledge others’ differences. When someone approaches a problem differently, consider that they may simply have different preferences or strengths.
- Invest in development tools. Instruments like MBTI and StrengthsFinder aren’t just assessments—they’re springboards for meaningful conversations about how to work better together.
The ROI of Self-Awareness
Organizations often underestimate the impact of self-awareness on performance. But teams that understand and leverage their collective strengths consistently show higher engagement, productivity, and retention. When leaders model self-awareness, they create an environment where people feel seen and valued for their unique contributions.
Personally, I’ve witnessed incredible transformations in teams that take the time to learn about themselves and each other. Misunderstandings turn into appreciation, conflicts become constructive, and individuals start stepping into their roles with greater confidence. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of my work—watching people unlock what’s already within them.
Bringing It All Together
When you understand your preferences through MBTI and identify your strengths through StrengthsFinder, you gain a roadmap for more authentic, effective relationships. You stop wasting energy trying to fit a mold and start channeling your best self into everything you do.
As someone who helps individuals and teams bridge communication gaps and strengthen collaboration, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when people understand both who they are and what they bring to the table. Whether you’re leading a team, navigating a career transition, or simply wanting to improve your relationships, start with self-awareness.
Because when you know yourself, you lead yourself—and when you lead yourself well, everything else follows.
#Woo #Positivity #Connectedness #Developer #Communication
