B.A. 1st Sem. SEC (Political Science)- Foundations of Leadership and Self-Awareness

By

Dr. FAZEEN

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FOUNDATIONS OF LEADERSHIP AND SELF-AWARENESS

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UNIT I: INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP

1. Meaning of Leadership

Leadership refers to the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and guide others toward achieving common goals.
It involves vision, communication, decision-making, and responsibility.

Simple Definition:

Leadership is the process of influencing people positively to work willingly for a goal.

Key Features

• Influence (prabhav)

• Motivation (prerna)

• Guidance (margdarshan)

• Vision (drishti)

• Responsibility (zimmedari)

Example:

A class representative motivating students to participate in a college event shows leadership.

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2. Characteristics of Leadership

1. Goal-Oriented – Leaders work with a clear purpose.
   Example: A project leader sets weekly milestones.

2. Influence and Motivation – Leaders inspire others.
   Example: A teacher motivates students to improve attendance.

3. Communication Skills – Leaders express ideas clearly.

4. Integrity and Honesty – Builds trust.

5. Decision-Making Ability – Takes correct and timely decisions.

6. Emotional Intelligence – Understanding and managing emotions.

7. Adaptability – Adjusts to changing situations.

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3. Functions of Leadership

1. Planning – Setting goals and strategies.

2. Organizing – Allocating resources and tasks.

3. Motivating – Inspiring team members.

4. Coordination – Ensuring smooth teamwork.

5. Conflict Resolution – Solving disagreements.

6. Communication – Sharing ideas and feedback.

7. Performance Monitoring – Checking progress.

Example:

A leader planning group tasks during a social survey project performs leadership functions.

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4. Types of Leadership

1. Autocratic Leadership

Leader takes decisions alone.
Example: A strict principal deciding rules without consulting teachers.

2. Democratic Leadership

Leader includes group members in decision making.
Example: A club president asks members before finalizing an event plan.

3. Laissez-Faire Leadership

Minimum interference; team works freely.
Example: A creative design team where the leader only sets broad goals.

4. Transformational Leadership

Leader inspires and transforms followers through vision and motivation.
Example: Mahatma Gandhi encouraging masses for freedom struggle.

5. Transactional Leadership

Leader works on reward and punishment.
Example: A sales manager giving bonus for meeting targets.

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5. Importance of Leadership

• Encourages teamwork

• Ensures efficiency

• Helps in achieving goals

• Builds confidence

• Creates discipline

• Improves communication

• Provides direction during crises

Example:

During a college fest, a strong leader distributes responsibilities and keeps the team motivated.

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UNIT II: SELF-AWARENESS

1. Meaning of Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to understand your own personality, including your:

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Emotions

• Values

• Thoughts

• Behavior

Simple Definition:

Self-awareness means knowing who you are and how you behave in different situations.

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2. Components of Self-Awareness

1. Self-Concept

Your overall understanding of yourself.
Example: “I am a confident speaker but shy in large groups.”

2. Self-Esteem

Your sense of self-worth or value.
Students with high self-esteem participate more actively.

3. Emotional Awareness

Ability to recognize your emotions and their impact.
Example: Knowing you feel anxious before exams.

4. Social Awareness

Understanding how others feel and think.
Example: Noticing a friend is upset even when they hide it.

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3. Johari Window Model (Important) See below for detail explanation

A famous tool to understand self-awareness developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham.

                JOHARI WINDOW
 --------------------------------------------------
|     OPEN SELF      |     BLIND SELF              |
| (Known to self     | (Unknown to self but known  |
|  and others)       |  to others)                 |
 --------------------------------------------------
|     HIDDEN SELF    |     UNKNOWN SELF            |
| (Known to self but | (Unknown to both you and    |
|  not to others)    |  others)                    |
 --------------------------------------------------

Uses:

• Improves communication

• Builds trust

• Enhances self-understanding

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4. Importance of Self-Awareness

1. Helps in personal growth

2. Improves decision-making

3. Enhances emotional intelligence

4. Reduces stress

5. Builds confidence

6. Improves relationships

7. Helps in career selection

Example:

A student who knows he is good at writing chooses journalism as a career path.

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UNIT III: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP AND SELF-AWARENESS

Leadership starts with understanding oneself.

A self-aware person becomes a better leader because they:

• Understand their strengths and weaknesses

• Manage emotions

• Take better decisions

• Communicate effectively

• Build strong relationships

Example:

If a student leader knows they get stressed easily, they divide tasks rather than doing everything alone.

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UNIT IV: SKILLS FOR SELF-AWARE LEADERSHIP

1. Emotional Intelligence (EI)

Proposed by Daniel Goleman.
Components:

• Self-awareness

• Self-regulation

• Motivation

• Empathy

• Social skills

Example:

A leader stays calm during group conflicts.

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2. Communication Skills

• Active listening

• Clear speaking

• Feedback giving

• Non-verbal communication

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3. Critical Thinking

Analyzing information before making decisions.
Example: Evaluating different sources before preparing a seminar.

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4. Time Management

Prioritizing tasks to work effectively.
Example: Making a study timetable before exams.

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5. Teamwork

Understanding roles, cooperating, resolving conflicts.

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UNIT V: DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-AWARENESS AND LEADERSHIP

1. Reflective Practice

Writing journal entries about your daily actions.

2. Feedback from Others

Asking seniors, teachers, or friends about your strengths and weaknesses.

3. Personality Assessments

Such as:

• MBTI

• Big Five Personality Traits

4. Setting Personal Goals

Short-term and long-term goals for improvement.

5. Participating in Group Activities

Helps develop teamwork and leadership skills.

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PRACTICAL CLASS ACTIVITY IDEAS

Activity 1: Self-Awareness Worksheet

Students list:

• 3 strengths

• 3 weaknesses

• 3 goals

Activity 2: Leadership Role-Play

Situation: leading a group for a college event.

Activity 3: Johari Window Exercise

Students exchange feedback in pairs.

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CONCLUSION

Leadership and self-awareness are essential for personal, academic, and professional growth. A leader who understands themselves is more effective in influencing others, managing teams, and creating a positive environment.

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JOHARI WINDOW (Detailed Explanation with Examples)

Developed by: Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham (1955)
Purpose: To improve self-awareness, communication, and interpersonal relationships.

The Johari Window explains how we understand ourselves and how others understand us.
It divides our personality into four parts based on:

• What we know about ourselves

• What others know about us

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Johari Window Diagram

                JOHARI WINDOW
 -----------------------------------------------------------
|         1. OPEN SELF       |         2. BLIND SELF         |
|  (Known to self AND others)| (Not known to self BUT known   |
|                            |       to others)              |
 -----------------------------------------------------------
|         3. HIDDEN SELF     |       4. UNKNOWN SELF         |
|  (Known to self BUT not    | (Not known to self AND not     |
|        to others)          |    known to others)           |
 -----------------------------------------------------------

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1. OPEN SELF (Arena or Public Self)

Meaning:

This is the part of your personality that you know about yourself and others also know about you.

It includes:

• Your behaviour

• Your communication style

• Your skills

• Your interests

• Your public habits

Examples:

• You are talkative → you know it & your friends also know it.

• You like teaching → you tell others & they see it.

• You are punctual → others observe and confirm it.

Classroom Example:

A student who always participates in class discussions — both the student and classmates know this.

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2. BLIND SELF (Blind Spot)

Meaning:

This includes the things others know about you, but you are not aware of them.

You may be unaware because:

• You are not observant

• You overestimate/underestimate yourself

• You ignore feedback

Examples:

• Others think you interrupt during conversations, but you don’t notice it.

• Your classmates find you inspiring, but you don’t realize your positive impact.

• You talk too fast during presentations, and others notice it, but you don’t.

Classroom Example:

A student thinks they speak clearly, but classmates complain that the student reads too fast.

This area reduces when we accept feedback.

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3. HIDDEN SELF (Façade / Private Self)

Meaning:

This includes things you know about yourself, but you hide from others.

Why do people hide?

• Fear of judgment

• Lack of trust

• Shyness

• Desire to maintain privacy

Examples:

• You have stage fear, but you hide it by acting confident.

• You want to join a dance club, but you are shy to tell others.

• You have personal problems at home but do not share with classmates.

• You feel insecure about your writing skills but hide it.

Classroom Example:

A student hides their weakness in English and avoids speaking in class.

This area becomes smaller when you share more about yourself with trustworthy people.

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4. UNKNOWN SELF (Hidden Potential / Subconscious Area)

Meaning:

This area contains things neither you know about yourself nor others know about you.

It includes:

• Hidden talents

• Untapped abilities

• Subconscious feelings

• Unknown fears

• Future behaviour under stress

• Skills you have never tried

Examples:

• You may have talent for singing, but you never tried, and no one knows.

• You might act bravely in emergencies, but this is unknown until the situation comes.

• You may develop leadership skills later in life though no one has seen it yet.

• You do not know how you will react under extreme stress.

Classroom Example:

A shy student unexpectedly takes the lead during a group project and performs very well.
Earlier, the student and classmates were unaware of this leadership ability.

This area becomes smaller when you explore new activities and learn more about yourself.

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Why Johari Window Is Important?

It helps in:

1. Improving Self-awareness

2. Building trust and openness

3. Improving relationships

4. Better communication

5. Understanding feedback and self-growth

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How Can You Use Johari Window to Improve Yourself?

✔ Increase Open Self

• Share your thoughts

• Be honest

• Communicate openly

✔ Reduce Blind Self

• Ask for feedback from teachers and friends

• Observe how people react to you

✔ Reduce Hidden Self

• Share your fears, goals, and needs with trusted people

• Join group activities

✔ Reduce Unknown Self

• Try new hobbies

• Accept challenges

• Reflect on experiences.