The Mirror Moment - Part 2

In this issue…

• The Mirror Moment - Part 2: Self-Awareness is a Competitive Advantage - by Audra Stevenson

• Extra Insights: 5 Ways to Overcome Leadership Fatigue - Katharine Manning, Fast Company

• Weekly Motivation Boost: Wake Up Early, Start Your Day Right - Matthew McConaughey, Motiversity (YouTube)

• Action for the Week: Ask Better, More Specific Questions

• Together with the Coaching Circle

🎯 EXPERT OF THE WEEK

The Mirror Moment - Part 2: Self-Awareness is a Competitive Advantage

By Audra Stevenson

Leadership isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence. Presence begins with self-awareness.

Looking in the mirror isn’t a weakness. It’s a strategy. Too often, self-reflection is mistaken for self-doubt. But in truth, the most respected and trusted leaders don’t shy away from the mirror…they use it to lead better. Self-awareness is not just a soft skill; it’s a competitive edge.

The Strength of Self-Leadership

When you hold positional authority, every word you say and every decision you make carries weight. Your presence shapes the mood of the room. Your tone determines how much people share. Your reactions set the emotional temperature of the culture. But here’s the problem: You can’t influence what you can’t see.

That’s why the mirror matters. Self-leadership—your ability to observe and adjust your own patterns—is as much about personal growth as it is about performance, retention, innovation and morale. The best leaders don’t just reflect. They adjust.

They ask: “How am I showing up and what impact is it having?”

Coaching: The Mirror You Didn’t Know You Needed

This is where coaching becomes one of the best tools you can use. A great executive coach doesn’t hand you a playbook. They hold up a mirror. They help you see what you may be missing: how your language, body language, mindset and habits are shaping your culture, often in invisible ways. They ask questions that no one else in your company may feel safe to ask:

• What are you avoiding?

• Where are you over-controlling?

• Are you demanding accountability from others, but not from yourself?

• What might your team be afraid to tell you?

These questions aren’t comfortable, but they are necessary. Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. It happens in the stretch, the moment where you stop reacting and start rewiring.

The Power of Pattern Recognition

Self-awareness helps leaders interrupt autopilot behavior. You stop snapping in meetings and start listening more. You stop solving every problem and start developing your team’s capacity. You stop relying on control and start building trust. That shift doesn’t just affect you. It changes the way your team communicates, collaborates and shows up every day. It changes the emotional climate.

Reflection leads to realignment. That realignment leads to results.

Owning Your Energy

Your team doesn’t just listen to what you say. They watch how you move through the day.

If you’re constantly in firefighting mode, your team learns to brace for impact. If you walk into meetings defensive or distracted, they will hesitate to share real ideas. But when you show up grounded, curious and present, your team breathes easier. Innovation returns. Psychological safety builds. People take more ownership.

Self-awareness isn’t a solo exercise. It’s a signal to your team that growth is allowed here, starting at the top.

Coming Next: Part 3 - What If the Mirror Reflects a Culture of Fear?

Sometimes, a leader’s reflection reveals hard truths. Not just about habits, but about the culture they’ve unintentionally created. Part 3 contains what to do when the mirror reveals something deeper: fear, silence, or disengagement.

We’ll talk about how to rebuild trust, what steps to take when morale is low and how to repair a culture without defensiveness or blame. Real leadership is proven by how you show up when things get hard.

Read Part 1: The Mirror Moment - The Best Leaders Start with Themselves

💡EXTRA INSIGHTS

5 Ways to Overcome Leadership Fatigue

By Katharine Manning, Fast Company

5-Minute Read

Click on the image below to read the full article.

🏅WEEKLY MOTIVATION BOOST

Wake Up Early, Start Your Day Right - Matthew McConaughey, Motiversity (YouTube)

30-minute watch

🏃🏽‍♀️Action for the Week

Ask Better, More Specific Questions

Focus on asking better, more thoughtful questions to get better insights from your team. Instead of general openers like “How’s your day?” ask something more specific and engaging, like “What’s your energy focused on today?” or “What has most of your attention this week?” This encourages deeper conversation and shows genuine interest in their experiences.

Then have curiosity to keep the dialogue going and show you care. Incorporating simple team-building activities or regular check-ins can give you a clearer picture of how your team is feeling and what they’re really experiencing.

💎 TOGETHER WITH THE COACHING CIRCLE

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