Self-Reflection and Importance of Self-Awareness in Professional Life

This article discusses the importance of self-awareness in professional life and how it can be improved through self-reflection, feedback, and mentorship. It also highlights the significance of building professional networks and having a mentor. Additionally, it provides tips to overcome weaknesses like stage fear and improve public speaking skills.

Buisiness communication

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Self –Reflection
Self-awareness is focusing on one self and comparing it with current behaviour with the
objective to improve. Self-awareness can be gained by knowing the strengths and weaknesses
within us. Self-awareness means sharp realization of personality by understanding the
strength and weaknesses (Heatherton and Baumeister, 2010). Self-awareness also motivates
and encourages other by detecting perceive of others. Self-awareness can be developed by
creating a daily habit of self-reflection. Self-awareness can be gained by asking from
feedback and working upon it (Joinson, 2010). Intuitions also play a significant role in
developing self-awareness so that decisions could be taken without errors (Heatherton and
Baumeister, 2010). Self-awareness is extended by understanding the capabilities and skills so
that it could be used to motivate others.
I am aware about my both strengths and weakness, i have found that I have a very positive
attitude towards work and I really don’t give up from my failures. I know my strength that I
can work in a team my assuring that no conflicts takes place. I am well-disciplined about my
work and assure that deadlines are met. On the other I have certain weaknesses like while
working in a team I work with a great enthusiasm and I except the same with my team
members. This can be my rude behaviour but it definably supports in completing the work on
time efficiently .Apart from that I am good at planning and communication but I have a stage
fear and I lose at time at public speaking.
Self-awareness can be improved by recognising the strength and weaknesses so that
improvement could be done (Church, 2017). Self-awareness can be gained by taking test so
that level of self-awareness could be gained (Joinson, 2010). Getting feedback also helps in
analysing the loopholes so that it could be improved.

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The self-awareness helped me in motivating others also, I was working in team of five
members and the submission deadline was very near (Church, 2017). My team members give
up at the end but I boosted up the enthusiasm so that all try to work as one. This helped me in
motivating others and developing confidence so that stress could be reduced. Other
experience is I found that I have a very quick grasping power this helped me in learning
about new things easily.
In professional life it is very important to build networks as it helps in moving ahead and
advancing the career options. Developing and building relations in professional life brings
greater opportunity and advance career options. Mentor is very important as they shape the
goal and their own career path (Richards, Campenni and Muse-Burke, 2010). Mentor is a
person who guides the way that should be followed and also suggests ways through which
issues could be overcome (Allen and Eby, 2017). Professional networks have been beneficial
for me also as it allowed me to connect with the individuals of similar interest so that
information about the industry is gained. It also increases the chance to find out the new
openings and opportunities.
I am my mentor in my academic career as well as personal life. My mentor in professional
life is my two year old senior. He guides me at every step by telling me both the positive and
negative side of an action (Richards, Campenni and Muse-Burke, 2010). He is my inspiration
as he helped me in choosing my stream, supported me to overcome the weakness of public
speaking, guiding in my projects and other external events. Mentor ensures that chance of
success is achieved and financial support is achieved. It experiences a higher degree of
support and assures that success is achieved (Allen and Eby, 2017). Apart from that, I
considered my mentor as my parents as they have always pushed me to do better. They are
the one who told me take the first step everywhere. I have failed in many events of my life
but they give me a lesson that I should learn from my mistakes and move ahead (Long and

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McGinnis, 2017). It is due to my mentors that I have built the leadership skills and have
improved communication so that my advance career plans are set.
I feel like there should be many activities in the professional life through which one can
improve their weakness. In my case I think I need to boost up my confidence and work in a
direction so that I can speak on public platform. Professional development can be increased
by getting enrolled in foreign course so that public speaking could be improved (Eby, Butts,
Durley and Ragins, 2010). The mentor should force to take part in many events that help in
boosting up the confidence. The positive visualization can also help in capturing audience. I
my case I am short tempered in many situations that could be gained by being patience and
working in diplomatic conditions (Shih, 2010). I have opted public speaking course in my
university in which I get a chance to face a huge number of audience many a time. This will
definitely help in eliminating my stage fear (Smith and King, 2014). This have helped me in
explaining my ideas clearly and being very confident at the stage so that a have a great
posture and body language.
Other ways my mentor suggested me to do was take presentation at time of group work. This
helps in getting the public peaking experience so that quality is improved. The other way that
boosts up the confidence in public speaking is maintain the eye contact (Smith and King,
2014). Thus it can be said that presentation skills are crucial in the business world and it will
aspire an individual to climb the corporate ladder and speak with confidence(Carnegie,
2017) .

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References
Allen, T.D. and Eby, L.T., 2017. Mentor commitment in formal mentoring
relationships. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 72(3), pp.309-316.
Carnegie, D., 2017. How to develop self-confidence and influence people by public speaking.
Simon and Schuster.
Church, A.H., 2017. Managerial self-awareness in high-performing individuals in
organizations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(2), p.281.
Eby, L.T., Butts, M.M., Durley, J. and Ragins, B.R., 2010. Are bad experiences stronger than
good ones in mentoring relationships? Evidence from the protégé and mentor
perspective. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 77(1), pp.81-92.
Heatherton, T.F. and Baumeister, R.F., 2010. Binge eating as escape from self-
awareness. Psychological bulletin, 110(1), p.86.
Joinson, A.N., 2010. Self‐disclosure in computer‐mediated communication: The role of self‐
awareness and visual anonymity. European journal of social psychology, 31(2), pp.177-192.
Long, J.S. and McGinnis, R., 2017 The effects of the mentor on the academic
career. Scientometrics, 7(3-6), pp.255-280.
Richards, K., Campenni, C. and Muse-Burke, J., 2010. Self-care and well-being in mental
health professionals: The mediating effects of self-awareness and mindfulness. Journal of
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Shih, R.C., 2010. Blended learning using video-based blogs: Public speaking for English as a
second language students. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(6).

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Smith, C.D. and King, P.E., 2014. Student feedback sensitivity and the efficacy of feedback
interventions in public speaking performance improvement. Communication
Education, 53(3), pp.203-216.