101 redirect actions.19 The value of self-awareness becomes increasingly clarified as the literature across disciplines collides to generate an empirical and theoretical case. The converse is also true: a lack of application or a lack of selfawareness can have disastrous results for companies, teams, and individuals. Lacking self-awareness can be an over or under estimation of self. Neither is particularly healthy, as McDonald reported, “Leaders who overestimate their abilities are likely to be those who will derail … . They are the ‘legends in their own minds'."20 McDonald warned that leaders who lack self-awareness might also lack motivation for intentional development.21 An individual without self-awareness is not likely to be successful in vast endeavors. A lack of self-awareness can lead to boundary issues or burn out,22 an inability to capitalize on strengths or address challenges,23 delay of collaborative group productivity,24 over-estimation of oneself in a problem situation or self-deception,25 or destructive or non-advantageous actions.26 Without self-awareness, it becomes difficult for leaders to successfully navigate employee relationships and manage the team through difficult circumstances.27 Leadership without self-awareness is not likely to be effective, creating a strong case for increasing the mirror size from which one self-reflects. The implications can be vast, and the penalty high, for ignoring the warnings that come with a lack of awareness. Hunter proposed that self-leadership requires one to humbly approach the true self to achieve the “profound realization” of interdependence, instilling a follower development focus.28 Self-awareness promotes an organizational culture with high levels of trust and leadership capacity through increased team level performance,29 internal stability,30 catalyzation toward growth,31 effectiveness with a scarcity of resources,32 and a more desirable employee attitude.33 Church found a connection between high performance and self-awareness, commenting that “high-performers were significantly more self-aware than those performing less well.”34 The specific impact can be farreaching into teamwork, relationship management, and adaptability.35 De Smet postulated, “Self-awareness and self-regulation enhance performance when there are ample cognitive resources to do so but may hinder performance when there are not.”36 Self-awareness helps leaders identify strengths, prevent failure from exposed weaknesses, THE IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF SELF-AWARENESS IN LEADERS
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