And what you (and your organization) need instead.
Self-awareness gets a lot of press-And for good reason! It is linked to all things ROI for leader, manager, supervisor development and connected to personal and professional flourishing.
It is a vital element for effective leadership, healthy team relationships, workplace wellbeing, and performance. The research backs it up. The workplace demands it. The world needs it. It’s a leadership prereq!
But: Self-awareness alone doesn’t change people. Yes, it’s essential. But it’s not sufficient.
In my work with leaders, founders, coaches, and whole-hearted humans across industries, I’ve seen the same truth play out again and again: Insight doesn’t equal transformation.
So if you’ve ever found yourself asking, “I know better-so why am I still doing the same thing?”… you’re not alone.
5 Reasons why Self-Awareness Isn’t Enough
1. Insight ≠ Integration
You can name your pattern. See it in action. And still be living from it every day. True growth doesn’t come from spotting the pattern-it comes from shifting it. Flourishing self-as-leader integration happens when self-awareness shows up in the choices you make, the responses you think about. It requires practice, rewiring, and support- more than just insight.
2. We Must Go Beyond the Descriptors
Enneagram. StrengthsFinder. MBTI. DISC. Big Five. I’m a psychologist so of course, I rely on assessments for my work. They are important frameworks, starting points, conversation and action step organizers. The framework and descriptors are only as good as the personalized next steps and the translation to trying something new on for size.
3. Reflection Without Framework Can Lead to Looping
When the direction for reflection stops at an encouraged “look inward” an overthinking loop or self-doubt trap is a risk (for me, anyway- just ask my coach!) But we mitigate the risk with “how to” guidance for what leaders discover in their important introspection deep dives. It’s important to have a process. A map. A structure that helps someone turn awareness into movement.
4. Awareness Without Action Creates Frustration
When you can see your blind spots but don’t know how to work with them, struggle to creatively identify new options, it doesn’t create freedom-but may rather add friction. Clarity without a path forward is exhausting. Solid coaching plus a framework plus deep insight is the super sauce here (that doesn’t melt your self-as-leader face off).
5. Many People, Including Leaders Aren’t Shown the Demo Reel
We talk and remind one another importantly about becoming authentic, emotionally intelligent, values-driven leaders. Yes! This is foundational to my work and approach too. But when leaders, managers, supervisors aren’t provided the foundational framework to write their one-of-a-kind leadership field guide, it’s an opportunity for the imposter, critic, and untrue self-as-leader narratives to sneak in.
But where’s the step-by-step path to get there?
I wrote it.
The How To is Almost Here! Leading Becomes You: How to Lead from the Inside Out launches September 2025!
It’s not just about self-awareness. It’s about what comes after. It’s a field-tested, identity-rooted process for becoming a more grounded, whole, and human version of yourself-whether you lead at work, at home, the PTA, a board, and don’t forget yourself.
It includes tools like: The Leader Story Timeline– A reflective process to trace your shaping moments, uncover core patterns, and choose who leads your next chapter.You can’t rewrite a self-as-leader story you’re still unconsciously reliving.
It’s theory meets YOU meets integration.
It’s the framework I’ve used with everyone from burned-out executives to values-driven founders to professionals just trying to reconnect with what matters.
Dr. Natalie Pickering
Psychologist | Coach | Author of Leading Becomes You
