#517: Self-Awareness and Leadership

You want to trust your team, enjoy your work, and still have time for the people at home. Self-awareness helps you recognize the habits shaping your decisions. Rich Hoffmann joins me to explore how confidence, the instinct to help, and personal triggers can influence how you lead. We talk about pausing before reacting, where these patterns come from, and learning to see yourself beyond your thoughts, past, and business. These insights affect everyday choices, from when to speak and listen to who you hire and how you spend your time. Top 10 Takeaways Self-awareness starts with noticing your own patterns and how they affect the people around you. A habit that once helped you feel safe may be getting in your way today. Your confidence can sound like a decision when you’re still thinking out loud. You don’t need every answer to lead; curiosity can help others find better ones. What bothers you in someone else can reveal something worth examining in yourself. Be honest about whether you’re helping someone choose or steering them toward your answer. You may not control your first reaction, but you can practice choosing your response. An insight becomes useful when you practice it in the moments you usually struggle. Your thoughts, your past and your business are parts of you, not your entire identity. Choose people you enjoy; your relationships shape both your work and your experience of life. Sound Bites "And then I'll select the best thought to share instead of the first thought." — Rich Hoffmann "So that's where I think in leadership, it's good to do leadership with people and not to people." — Rich Hoffmann "And that pause… Is where the control resides." — Ryan Tansom "All I want to do is have fun. And so my whole thought process is like, how do I build a life? Where I can work with the people I love." — Ryan Tansom About Rich Hoffmann Rich Hoffmann is the founder of Trusted Leadership Coaching, where he coaches entrepreneurial leaders and teams through individual coaching, team coaching, and workshops. He also co-hosts the Entrepreneurs United podcast with John St. Pierre. I invited Rich after appearing on their podcast and hearing his perspective on self-awareness and the experiences that shaped his leadership. Resources Mentioned Trusted Leadership Coaching. Rich’s coaching work with leaders and teams. Trusted Leadership Coaching. Entrepreneurs United. Rich Hoffmann and John St. Pierre’s podcast, where this conversation began. Entrepreneurs United. College Pro. The early entrepreneurial experience Rich and I discuss. College Pro. Team of Teams. Stanley McChrystal and his co-authors on connecting people and decisions. Team of Teams. Tony Robbins with Stanley McChrystal and Chris Fussell. The leadership conversation Rich references. Tony Robbins with Stanley McChrystal and Chris Fussell. The Red Book, Carl Jung. The book I bring out during our discussion of shadow and projection. The Red Book, Carl Jung. Alan Watts. Referenced in our conversation about presence and observing thoughts. Alan Watts. Jim McBrayer. Referenced in our conversation about intentions, questions and persuasion. Jim McBrayer. Leadersh!t, Rande Somma. Rich’s book recommendation during our discussion of leadership and incentives. Leadersh!t, Rande Somma. Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order, Ray Dalio. Referenced in the discussion of economic systems and incentives. Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order, Ray Dalio. Episode 513 with Jim Brown: The Imperfect CEO. Our related conversation about the CEO, ownership and the board. Episode 513 with Jim Brown: The Imperfect CEO. Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl. Referenced during the discussion of choosing a response. Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl. Atomic Habits, James Clear. Referenced as we discuss practice and making small changes. Atomic Habits, James Clear. Becoming Supernatural, Joe Dispenza. A book I discuss during the meditation conversation. Becoming Supernatural, Joe Dispenza. How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan. The book referenced during my discussion of personal experiences with psychedelics. How to Change Your Mind, Michael Pollan. Tim Ferriss with Michael Pollan. Background to the work I reference in the conversation. Tim Ferriss with Michael Pollan. Andrew Huberman. Referenced in the discussion of understanding choices and consequences. Andrew Huberman. Robin Dunbar. Background on relationships and social networks, which I use to think about my time. Robin Dunbar. Guest Contact Rich Hoffmann: Founder, Trusted Leadership Coaching. Website: Trusted Leadership Coaching. LinkedIn: Rich Hoffmann. Email: rich@trustedleadershipcoaching.com.