Key Takeaways:
Self-awareness gap: While 95% of people believe they're self-aware, only 10-15% actually are
Productivity link: Self-aware leaders create psychological safety, which directly increases team innovation and performance
Communication impact: Understanding your communication style helps prevent workplace conflict and improves collaboration
Practical skills: Emotional deescalation techniques can transform workplace dynamics and reduce turnover
Business case: Organizations with emotionally intelligent leadership report up to 20% higher productivity
Most workplace conflicts and productivity challenges aren't rooted in skill gaps—they stem from a lack of self-awareness. When leaders don't understand their own communication styles, emotional triggers, or impact on team dynamics, the entire organization suffers.
In a recent LinkedIn Live conversation, our CEO Ashish Kaushal explored this critical topic with Dr. Plummer, CEO of Onyx Therapy Group, examining how self-awareness shapes workplace culture and drives business success.
The Self-Awareness Advantage
"A lot of times people will study everything else except themselves," Dr. Plummer observed during the conversation. "They'll study content for a degree, they'll study for certification... but they don't take a quarter of that time to study themselves. And subsequently they're walking around like emotional bombshells."
This lack of emotional intelligence manifests in workplace challenges:
Impulsive decision-making
Communication breakdowns
Increased team conflict
Higher employee turnover
Reduced psychological safety
Companies that invest in leadership self-awareness see concrete improvements in communication, innovation, and overall workplace culture.
The Four Communication Styles That Define Workplace Dynamics
One fascinating insight from the conversation was Dr. Plummer's breakdown of communication styles that shape team interactions:
"Who" communicators: Focus on who will be affected by decisions
"What" communicators: Prioritize outcomes and specific deliverables
"When" communicators: Organize around deadlines and timelines
"How" communicators: Concentrate on processes and implementation
"Leaders have to know their own communication style, and they also have the extra responsibility to know who they are leading," Dr. Plummer emphasized. This awareness creates the foundation for productive team collaboration.
Emotional Deescalation: A Critical Leadership Skill
Perhaps the most valuable business skill discussed was emotional deescalation—the process of moving from heightened emotional states back to productive calm.
Dr. Plummer explained that while it takes just four steps to reach an emotional peak, the path back to calm requires more time and intention. Leaders who master this process:
Make decisions from clarity rather than reactivity
Create space for team members to process emotions constructively
Build cultures where conflict becomes productive rather than destructive
Model emotional intelligence for their entire organization
"If you are fearing who is leading you, you are only operating based on avoiding a consequence," Dr. Plummer noted. By contrast, leaders who create psychological safety unleash team creativity, innovation, and engagement.
Why Self-Awareness Matters Now More Than Ever
In today's workplace, where teams are increasingly diverse and often remote, the ability to understand yourself and how you impact others has become a non-negotiable leadership skill.
As Ashish mentioned during the conversation: "Why are you hiring people if you don't want their opinions?"
This cutting question highlights the fundamental purpose of emotional intelligence in leadership: creating environments where diverse perspectives are valued and teams can collaborate effectively despite differences.
Taking Action: Your Self-Awareness Toolkit
Ready to develop greater self-awareness? Start with these practical approaches:
Expand your emotional vocabulary: Most people identify only about five emotions, but tools like emotional wheels can help you recognize and name dozens.
Map your triggers: Document situations that consistently create strong emotional responses to identify patterns.
Practice the "rewind test": As Ashish shared from his leadership approach, "When you walk into a meeting, always remember the rewind. Make sure when you leave, you don't have regrets on how you handled it."
Create regular reflection time: Schedule 10 minutes daily to assess your emotional responses and leadership decisions.
Watch the Full Conversation
For more insights on self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and building productive workplace cultures, watch our full conversation.
Poll: What's Your Communication Style?
After learning about the four communication styles, which one do you most identify with?
"Who" communicator (people-focused)
"What" communicator (outcome-focused)
"When" communicator (deadline-focused)
"How" communicator (process-focused)
Vote to see how your style compares with our community!
Want to go deeper?
For Teams: Consciously Unbiased offers workplace culture training that helps organizations build psychologically safe environments where teams can thrive. Learn more about our offerings here.
For Leaders: Our Leadership Insider subscribers receive monthly deep dives on emotional intelligence and workplace culture, plus exclusive leadership roundtables with workplace experts. Learn more about premium subscriptions below.
This post is part of our "Know Thyself" special series on emotional intelligence. Subscribe to be notified when we publish our next installment on "Managing Your Energy vs. Managing Your Time."
What aspect of self-awareness do you find most challenging? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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