Great leaders aren’t just skilled decision-makers, they understand themselves.
Self-awareness shapes leadership effectiveness, helping leaders communicate better, make smarter choices, and build stronger teams.
But becoming self-aware takes effort. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes time and you need to invest in you. There are different ways in which you can enable this.
That’s where journaling comes in. You might have always heard it referred to as note taking or diary writing..
It’s a simple habit that helps leaders reflect, learn, and grow.
The Basics
- Journaling builds self-awareness by helping leaders track their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.
- It improves leadership by making decision-making clearer and more intentional.
- It’s a quick habit. Leaders don’t need hours; a few minutes a day can create real impact.
- Teams benefit, too, self-aware leaders create open, honest workplace cultures.
The Leadership Habit You’re Probably Overlooking
Have you ever had a moment where you reacted in a way you later regretted?
Maybe you snapped in a meeting or dismissed an idea too quickly. There might be a behaviour that you have reflected upon that you feel uncomfortable about.
Those small moments can reveal a lot about your leadership, but only if you take the time to reflect.
Self-awareness is the foundation of great leadership.
It shapes decision-making, communication, and the ability to build strong, cohesive teams. But developing self-awareness can feel abstract, even overwhelming.
Journaling is a simple yet powerful tool that helps leaders track their thoughts, emotions, and decisions.
It doesn’t need to be a huge diary entry either, and you don’t need to be writing. It could be a few notes, a picture or capture some voice notes.
By making self-reflection a habit, leaders can become more intentional in their actions and improve their leadership style.
Why Journaling Matters for Leaders
Journaling is a practice that top Learning and Development (L&D) leaders use to strengthen self-awareness.
Reflecting on experiences, thoughts, and emotions helps them understand their strengths, recognise patterns in behaviour, and identify areas for growth.
As you make journaling part of your daily or weekly process, then you’ll be able to reflect on your thoughts and feelings.
Research supports this. Leaders with high self-awareness are 10% more effective than those with lower self-awareness levels. While some may naturally process thoughts internally, others find that writing things down provides structure and deeper clarity.
Studies show that people experience an internal monologue about 25% of the time, which suggests that self-reflection is processed differently from person to person.
You might find it easier to record your thoughts, then you could use a tool like Otter.AI and ChatGPT to help you collate and prepare your thoughts for review later.
Daily habits also play a key role. Engaging in structured reflection, like journaling, can provide leaders with a consistent framework for personal and professional growth.
However, it’s important to maintain balance, too much structure can become rigid rather than helpful. It doesn’t need to be each day, or the same format. You might decide to draw a process flow one day, and leave some annotated images the next.
Scott Hewitt notes that self-awareness is not just about understanding how you interact with others but also recognising personal triggers. Leaders who regularly reflect on their emotions and decisions can better adapt to challenges and make informed choices that impact their teams.
The Simple Habit That Changes Everything
At a recent leadership panel, journaling was highlighted as one of the most effective yet underutilised tools for self-awareness. One leader shared their daily practice:
- Morning journaling to organise thoughts and set clear intentions for the day
- Evening reflection to review experiences, emotions, and key lessons
This habit helped them spot patterns in behaviour, identify emotional triggers, and refine their leadership style over time.
Journaling is also useful for leaders who embrace a continuous learning culture. Those who actively reflect on their experiences not only improve their own leadership but also foster environments where their teams feel safe to do the same.
Another leader combined journaling with after-action reviews, using it to break down major events, especially challenging ones.
They would ask themselves: What went well? What could have been handled differently? The toughest moments often hold the most valuable lessons.
No Time? No Problem
Journaling doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Some leaders set brief “zero-minute appointments” in their calendars as reminders to reflect. A simple question like “How self-aware was I today?” or “What could I have done differently in that meeting?” can generate meaningful insights in just a few minutes.
Scott Hewitt suggests keeping it simple to start. A weekly habit of noting wins, challenges, and key learnings can be enough to build momentum. The key is consistency, not complexity.
Why This Matters for Your Team
Self-awareness in leadership isn’t just about personal growth. Leaders who acknowledge their strengths and areas for development create a culture of openness and trust.
Teams respond to leaders who are honest about their own learning process. You may also find that team members start journaling.
When leaders reflect on their decisions and how they impact their teams, they create more thoughtful strategies. If patterns emerge in journaling, these insights can guide leadership development and inform learning strategies within an organisation.
The Takeaway
Self-awareness isn’t something leaders develop overnight, but small habits like journaling can lead to big shifts.
Whether it’s a few minutes in the morning, an evening reflection, or a quick note during the day, taking time to pause and process experiences can improve clarity, empathy, and resilience.
And if you don’t find any patterns, or major reflections initially what then? Don’t worry. The reflections are your, and over time you’ll find the notes will be useful for you to review and read. They’ll provide insights and perhaps clarity when you need them – the key is to refer to them. You might find the insight you are looking for.
Want to be a better leader? Start with a pen and paper.
Questions
How can journaling enhance self-awareness?
Journaling helps leaders reflect on their thoughts, emotions, and actions. By writing things down, they can identify patterns in their behaviour, recognise emotional triggers, and gain clarity on their strengths and areas for improvement. It turns unconscious reactions into conscious learning, making self-awareness more intentional.
Why should you use journaling for self-reflection in leadership development?
Leadership requires self-awareness, and journaling provides a structured way to develop it. It helps leaders process experiences, improve decision-making, and refine their leadership style over time. Regular reflection builds emotional intelligence and fosters a growth mindset, making leaders more effective in handling challenges and team dynamics.
How does journaling help self-improvement?
Journaling encourages leaders to track progress, set goals, and assess their growth. It provides a space to review past decisions, learn from mistakes, and celebrate small wins. By consistently documenting their journey, leaders can develop better habits, improve communication skills, and make more thoughtful, informed choices.
How do leaders develop self-awareness?
Leaders develop self-awareness through regular reflection, feedback, and mindfulness. Practices like journaling, after-action reviews, and intentional self-questioning help them understand their motivations and reactions. Seeking input from peers and mentors also strengthens self-awareness, as outside perspectives highlight areas they might overlook on their own.
