The Science of Self-Awareness: Mistakes Even Great Leaders Make

We throw around the term “self-awareness” like everyone knows what it means, but how many of us actually practice it?

In this episode of Bad Bosses, Great Leaders, neuroscience-informed leadership coach Yosi Kossowsky breaks down why so many smart people struggle to lead well. From engineers to executives, Yosi’s seen one pattern repeat: people don’t change because they know better, they change when they can feel better, observe themselves, and choose differently.

Rebecca and Yosi dive into:

• Why cognitive insight doesn’t translate to behavior change
• How to give feedback without triggering defensiveness
• The real neuroscience behind emotional regulation and burnout
• What leaders can do to influence without control
• How ambiguous language (“be strategic,” “do better”) derails teams
• Practical prompts for increasing your self-awareness and your team’s

If you’ve ever struggled to manage yourself while leading others—or felt the weight of burnout creeping in—this one’s for you.

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