Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Ep #15 | 95% Of Us Think We Are Self Aware - WRONG!
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Ep #15 | 95% Of Us Think We Are Self Aware - WRONG!
Send a question or message to Kate & Sam
Most leaders believe they're self-aware. The research disagrees — dramatically.
In this episode, Kate and Sam dive deep into one of the most underused leadership skills in small business: genuine self-awareness. Not the "I know myself pretty well" kind — but the kind that closes the gap between how you think you show up and how others actually experience you.
They cover:
- The Tasha Eurich research that stops most people cold (the 95% vs 15% stat)
- The difference between internal and external self-awareness — and why you need both
- What a 360-degree LSI assessment revealed about Kate's leadership (and why she cried)
- Why fixed mindset blocks self-awareness before you even get started
- The Enneagram — what it is, why it's confronting, and why that's exactly the point
- Curiosity, vulnerability, and comfort with uncertainty as the three-part path forward
- Psychological safety at work — and why it starts with the leader knowing themselves first
Whether you've never taken a personality assessment or you've done them all, this episode will give you a fresh lens on why self-awareness isn't a one-time exercise — it's a lifelong practice.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Tasha Eurich — researcher and author on self-awareness; her TED Talk is a great starting point
- LSI (Life Styles Inventory) — 360-degree behavioural assessment tool
- The Enneagram — nine-type personality framework; free test available online (Kate recommends getting some support interpreting your result)
- Myers-Briggs — useful particularly for career direction
- BankCode — four-colour personality profile (Blueprint, Action, Nurture, Knowledge); fun in a team setting
- Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) — Sam's recommendation as an unlikely masterclass in curiosity and self-awareness
- Kate's Happiness Key eBook — includes links to the personality tests discussed; reach out to Kate directly for access
Next episode: Emotional Intelligence — Daniel Goleman's four-layer model, starting with self-awareness as the foundation.
Coming up: Leading from your values, a wrap-up episode, and the Bali Business Retreat.
Workshop — 24th June: Details at thrivingbusinesspodcast.com
Connect with Your Hosts:
Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: [email protected]
Sam Morris | The O8 🌐 Website: https://www.theo8.com/ 📱 Instagram: @the_o8crew ✉️ Email: [email protected]
Thriving Business Podcast 🌐Website: https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/
JOIN OUR WORKSHOPS
🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshops
COME ON THE 2026 BALI RETREAT
🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/baliretreat2026
View all episodes
By Dr Kate De Jong & Sam MorrisSend a question or message to Kate & Sam
Most leaders believe they're self-aware. The research disagrees — dramatically.
In this episode, Kate and Sam dive deep into one of the most underused leadership skills in small business: genuine self-awareness. Not the "I know myself pretty well" kind — but the kind that closes the gap between how you think you show up and how others actually experience you.
They cover:
- The Tasha Eurich research that stops most people cold (the 95% vs 15% stat)
- The difference between internal and external self-awareness — and why you need both
- What a 360-degree LSI assessment revealed about Kate's leadership (and why she cried)
- Why fixed mindset blocks self-awareness before you even get started
- The Enneagram — what it is, why it's confronting, and why that's exactly the point
- Curiosity, vulnerability, and comfort with uncertainty as the three-part path forward
- Psychological safety at work — and why it starts with the leader knowing themselves first
Whether you've never taken a personality assessment or you've done them all, this episode will give you a fresh lens on why self-awareness isn't a one-time exercise — it's a lifelong practice.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Tasha Eurich — researcher and author on self-awareness; her TED Talk is a great starting point
- LSI (Life Styles Inventory) — 360-degree behavioural assessment tool
- The Enneagram — nine-type personality framework; free test available online (Kate recommends getting some support interpreting your result)
- Myers-Briggs — useful particularly for career direction
- BankCode — four-colour personality profile (Blueprint, Action, Nurture, Knowledge); fun in a team setting
- Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) — Sam's recommendation as an unlikely masterclass in curiosity and self-awareness
- Kate's Happiness Key eBook — includes links to the personality tests discussed; reach out to Kate directly for access
Next episode: Emotional Intelligence — Daniel Goleman's four-layer model, starting with self-awareness as the foundation.
Coming up: Leading from your values, a wrap-up episode, and the Bali Business Retreat.
Workshop — 24th June: Details at thrivingbusinesspodcast.com
Connect with Your Hosts:
Kate De Jong, PhD | Inspired Business 🌐 Website: https://katedejong.com/ 📱 Instagram: @katedejong.inspiredbusiness ✉️ Email: [email protected]
Sam Morris | The O8 🌐 Website: https://www.theo8.com/ 📱 Instagram: @the_o8crew ✉️ Email: [email protected]
Thriving Business Podcast 🌐Website: https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/
JOIN OUR WORKSHOPS
🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/workshops
COME ON THE 2026 BALI RETREAT
🌐 https://www.thrivingbusinesspodcast.com/baliretreat2026