Introspection: Sharpen Your Leadership Tools

Introspection - The Overlooked Leadership Tool
By Ron Camacho

I am often asked what the best way to become a good leader is or to identify the methods a person can use to improve their leadership abilities. Of course, there are many answers to those questions, such as finding a mentor, increasing your education, attending leadership training or listening to podcasts on the subject. These are a few recognized approaches used to increase your leadership IQ. However, based on personal experience and my research on the most proven leaders in history, my answer is often the most challenging path to take - introspection.

I first learned what introspection was by attending intense counseling sessions some years ago. The therapist taught me to point my “judgmental telescope” inward, examine my issues first and fully understand them. The introspection exercise was emotionally draining but satisfying. I wanted to improve as a person, and that honest, inward look was the first step in a long and continuous journey toward reaching that goal. For me and others, genuine introspection is a life-changing endeavor.

Introspection can be described as analyzing one’s feelings, thoughts and ideas, both negative and positive. It is an inward look at what makes you “tick.” It is also a critical and valuable tool in a leader’s toolbox. Yet, many modern leaders do not understand why introspection is essential in their development. Even worse, they are afraid to employ it. As a result, when a leader fails to evolve, a lack of introspection is almost always the reason.

Why is introspection so hard? How comfortable is it to honestly examine past mistakes, failures and weaknesses? It sounds like a good time, right? I teach my officers, clients and students to embrace being uncomfortable while self-reflecting. It is vital to look deep inside oneself. Allow yourself to feel the pain of emotions, i.e., failure, guilt, shame and anger. There are valuable lessons to be learned in conducting a truthful self-assessment.

So, what is the “upside?” When we are honest with identifying our flaws, accepting and working on them, it helps us better connect with our coworkers, friends and the public. Introspection is a great way to suppress one’s ego, build trust and develop mental toughness. If you are your own worst critic, how can another’s words upset you? Winston Churchill once said, “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” Introspection is not a harmful endeavor; it is about self-improvement, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and changing for the better.

What does introspection look like in practice? From patrol officer to captain, my promotions came relatively easily. But, once I started competing for police chief positions, the competition grew stiffer, and I was unsuccessful in getting selected. So, I analyzed and critiqued my past performance during the oral boards or assessment centers by using introspection. I began by asking myself poignant yet straightforward questions:

Was I truly prepared for the selection process?

Did I represent myself accurately?

What could I have done better?

When possible, I reached out to the oral board or assessment center members, searching for any positive or negative criticisms of my interviews. This information was invaluable and, combined with my self-reflection, allowed me to adjust and improve, ensuring future successes and selection for a chief position.

The police and military use the After-Action Review (AAR) to evaluate and critique tactical and non-tactical operations. Introspection is your personal AAR and should be used after making critical leadership or management decisions. Experience, knowledge, and confidence allow many decisions, even significant ones, to be made without much deliberation. Nevertheless, it is vital to examine these critical decisions to validate that you are on the proper path. Introspection provides an honest, inward look at your decision-making process. To help jump-start the journey toward introspection, here are some of the questions you can ask yourself:

Were you fair when making your decisions?

Did you remove your emotion or biases during the decision-making process?

Was the decision made in your self-interest or for the betterment of others?

Did you take the advice or counsel of others?

Was the advice and counsel of others helpful or hurtful?

Are you comfortable with the decision you made? 

Introspection is a gift that helps remove the barriers to success in our personal and professional lives. Self-reflection can defeat the chaos that constantly invades our lives in these chaotic, crazy and busy times. In addition, time spent studying ourselves will lead to a profound understanding of those around us. Understanding is one of the foundations of respect, and without respect you are not a leader. So, give introspection a try; the worst that can happen is that you learn something about yourself. The best thing is that you take that knowledge, truly connect with others and start reaching your full leadership potential.

Chief Ron Camacho is an accomplished law enforcement executive who spent time as an advisor in Afghanistan and Mexico. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, has a master’s in criminal justice from Liberty University, and is the chief of the Chambersburg Pennsylvania Police Department. He is the owner of Camacho Consulting LLC, a leadership and management training company