Ep 198: Increase Your Self-Awareness with Dr Julia Carden

About this episode

Dr. Julia Carden discusses the complexities of self-awareness in leadership and its impact on team dynamics.

Self-awareness is often listed as a core leadership skill — but how many leaders truly understand what it involves, and how many are unintentionally overestimating it? In this episode of Influence & Impact , I am joined by Dr Julia Carden, former Royal Navy officer, leadership coach, and author of You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are . Drawing on her PhD research and years of coaching senior leaders, Julia shares why self-awareness is harder — and more confronting — than most people expect. Together, we explore how self-awareness goes far beyond surface-level feedback, why it’s essential for healthy team dynamics, and how leaders can start uncovering their blind spots without becoming defensive. In this episode, we cover: Why self-awareness is often a blind spot for leaders The moment you say “I’m very self-aware” — and why that’s a warning sign How a lack of self-awareness shows up as team tension, conflict, and disengagement Julia’s practical definition of self-awareness using interpersonal and intrapersonal “ingredients” Why feedback can feel threatening — and how to work with it constructively How leaders can build self-awareness without a coach or 360-degree…

People in this episode

Host: Carla

Guest: Dr Julia Carden

Topics covered

• self-awareness
• leadership
• team dynamics
• coaching

Keywords

• blind spots
• feedback
• team tension
• conflict
• disengagement

Mentioned in this episode

Products: You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are

Books & works: Influence & Impact, You Are Not As Self-Aware, PhD, the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching, MSc, the Professional Certificate in Coaching Supervision, You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think

Places: Cornwall, Hampshire

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