You’ve probably heard the term “Achilles Heel.” In Greek Mythology, what killed Achilles was not the weakness in his heel, but the fact that he was unaware of that weakness. Our success as leaders has less to do with our particular strengths or weaknesses, than it does our deep familiarity with those strengths and weaknesses. How do we cultivate self-awareness? Better still, how do we cultivate self-awareness “in-the-moment,” the ability to accurately assess how other people are experiencing us in a given situation? 1) Understand the Human System – Learn tips for using your body, your emotions, and your mind to change the way that you show up in different settings. 2) Get Honest Feedback – Learn techniques for getting timely, specific feedback from peers, supervisors, and subordinates. 3) Discover Your Strengths – Learn ways to uncover your strengths and utilize them in combating areas of performance weakness.

1. AUG. 6 – 9, 2014
THE RITZ-CARLTON, NEW ORLEANS
Session 24 – Self Awareness: The Secret to Effective Leadership
Friday, August 8, 2014 10:50 a.m.
Dan Griffiths

2. WHY DO WE FAIL TO
GET TO KNOW
OURSELVES?

3. #AICPA_EDGE
Why do we fail to get to know
ourselves?
Fear – maybe we don’t measure up
Compartmentalization
The “busyness” of life and other distractions

4. #AICPA_EDGE
Self Awareness “in the moment”
4

5. #AICPA_EDGE
. . . it’s about the
experience that others
are having.
5
It may be cliché, but it’s really NOT
about you . . .
““I've learned that people will forget
what you said, people will forget what
you did, but people will never forget
how you made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou

6. #AICPA_EDGE 6
Confirmation Bias

7. #AICPA_EDGE
Leadership is the capacity
to influence human
thought, emotion, and
behavior starting with my
own.

8. HOW DO WE GET
COMFORTABLE IN
OUR OWN SKIN?

9. #AICPA_EDGE
Amy Cuddy – Harvard Business School
“Our bodies change our
minds, and our minds
can change our behavior,
and our behavior can
change our outcomes.”
– Amy Cuddy
9

10. #AICPA_EDGE 10

11. #AICPA_EDGE
Amy Cuddy – Harvard Business School
“Don't fake it till you
make it. Fake it till you
become it.”
– Amy Cuddy
11

12. #AICPA_EDGE
Values Affirmation
I’m good enough, I’m
smart enough . . .

13. #AICPA_EDGE
What’s My Motivation?

14. HOW DO I GET GOOD,
HONEST FEEDBACK?

15. #AICPA_EDGE
How do I get good, honest
feedback?
Create safety
Prime the pump
Start early in your career
15

16. #AICPA_EDGE
Create Safety

17. #AICPA_EDGE
Create Safety
Warmth . . . And . . . Strength
• Do you mean me harm?
• Do you have the capacity to
carry it out?

18. #AICPA_EDGE
Be tentative . . .

19. #AICPA_EDGE 19
Prime
the
Pump

20. #AICPA_EDGE
Start Early
20

21. HOW DO I LEVERAGE
MY STRENGTHS?

22. #AICPA_EDGE
Focus On Strengths

23. #AICPA_EDGE
Not Weaknesses

24. #AICPA_EDGE
Dan Griffiths, CPA, CGMA is the Director of Strategic
Planning at Tanner, LLC, a Salt Lake City-based
professional services firm with 85 team members.
Prior to merging his practice with Tanner, he co-
founded Proficio Services Group to provide strategic &
business planning, leadership development, and
business coaching services. Dan is a graduate of the
2010 AICPA Leadership Academy and in 2011-2012
served as the chair of the Young CPA Network
Committee for the AICPA. Dan has also been very
active with the UACPA and in 2011 was recognized as
the Outstanding CPA in Business and Management.
He was recently selected to serve as Utah’s elected
member of the AICPA Governing Council. Dan is an
avid flyfisher, backpacker, and gardener. He and his
wife Bibiana just welcomed their fourth child to the
family.
Contact Dan at: dgriffiths@tannerco.com
Or connect with him on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/dangriffithscpa

25. Thank You
Copyright © 2014 American Institute of CPAs. All rights reserved.
Thank You
Copyright © 2014 American Institute of CPAs. All rights reserved.