Leading Oneself with Self-Knowledge

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/leading-oneself-with-self-knowledge

Introduction

**Course Review: Leading Oneself with Self-Knowledge on Coursera** **Overview:** In the fast-paced and often chaotic world we live in, the ability to lead oneself is paramount. The course **"Leading Oneself with Self-Knowledge,"** hosted on Coursera and offered as part of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Master of Engineering program, is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to enhance their self-leadership skills. The course emphasizes the profound truth that effective leadership of others begins with leading oneself. By honing self-awareness and understanding our motivations, strengths, and cognitive patterns, we set a strong foundation for personal and professional growth. **Course Structure and Content:** The course is structured over five weeks, each focusing on a critical aspect of self-leadership: 1. **Increasing Awareness Leads to Understanding:** The first week lays the groundwork by diving deep into the three forms of awareness: self, situational, and social. Participants learn to cultivate curiosity about their personal motivations and behaviors, establishing a habit of self-reflection that is vital for personal growth. This foundational week is incredibly engaging, encouraging learners to ask critical questions about their actions and reactions in various contexts. 2. **Exploring Strengths to be Our Best:** Week two shifts the focus to identifying personal strengths and core values. Participants are guided through assessments and reflections that reveal their unique "superpowers." This week is transformative, emphasizing the idea that maximizing our strengths often leads to greater success than merely attempting to shore up weaknesses. The encouragement to keep weaknesses in check, without becoming overly focused on them, resonates powerfully. 3. **Developing Personal Identity for Intentional Change:** In the third week, participants are invited to explore different models of self, such as the ideal self versus the real self. This week introduces the concept of creating an "alter ego" — a powerful tool used by high achievers to unlock their best performance. Through this exploration, learners gain insights into how their self-perception shapes actions and decisions. 4. **Becoming Strategic With Energy to Be More Effective:** The penultimate week focuses on the astute management of time and energy, highlighting how understanding one’s natural rhythms can lead to increased productivity. Participants learn to identify their peak performance times, which is a game-changing revelation. The practical strategies learned in this module can significantly enhance efficiency and effectiveness in both personal and professional pursuits. 5. **Understanding How Cognitive Patterns Drive Behavior:** The final week rounds out the course by delving into cognitive biases and mental models. By examining how these elements shape our worldview, participants gain a new lens through which to view their interactions with others. This understanding fosters empathy and helps to mitigate misunderstandings, enriching both personal relationships and workplace dynamics. **Recommendation:** "Leading Oneself with Self-Knowledge" is not just another leadership course; it's a personal journey of self-discovery and empowerment. The practical insights and real-world applications make it suitable for anyone looking to improve their self-leadership capabilities, whether you're a seasoned professional, a rising leader, or someone simply seeking personal growth. What sets this course apart is its balanced approach, combining theoretical foundations with actionable strategies. The instructors’ expertise and engaging teaching style facilitate a supportive learning environment that encourages deep introspection and meaningful dialogue among participants. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this course to those eager to lead themselves effectively and transform their personal and professional lives. Not only does it equip you with essential skills for self-awareness and leadership, but it also invites a more profound understanding of what it means to be authentic in your pursuits. Whether taken for academic credit or personal enrichment, "Leading Oneself with Self-Knowledge" promises to be a fulfilling and enlightening experience.

Syllabus

Increasing Awareness Leads to Understanding

Awareness, the most important part of this course, is covered in week 1. We will lay the foundation to know ourselves in a more intimate way. Before we can lead ourselves better, we must first learn to be curious, and pay attention to our motivations and behavior. We can start to develop self-awareness habit to ask why you act the way you do in certain situations. We do this through self, situational and social awareness.

In week 2, we continue the work we have done with awareness and self, to move into strengths and core values. Research has shown that focusing on our strengths is superior to focusing on weaknesses too much. We will identify your strengths, values and superpowers and keep most of our attention there. Weaknesses will be addressed to keep them from being a liability, but resist the urge to turn them into a strength.

In week 3, we will examine different models of “self.” We will explore how our view of “self” shapes our behavior. With the help of intentional change theory, we will explore three versions of self: ideal, real and ought. Then we will contrast these concepts with narrative self and future self. Once we have a firm grasp on our sense of self, we will create an “alter ego,” which is commonly used by high performers to execute at their best.

This week, we turn our attention to time and energy. Both are important, but you will come to learn that one is slightly more important. It is often not what you would expect. This idea is a game changer. In addition to managing time and energy, we will work to understand when you work best. Timing matters. Once we know this, we can strategically plan our day to take advantage of peaks and troughs that inevitably occur.

Our final week in the course examines how we see the world and what influences this view for each individual. The mechanisms that drive our view of the world are mental models, schema, cognitive biases, among others. With an understanding of how these psychological principles work and why, you will see the world, and those we interact with, differently.