TheDreamseller

The Power of Noticing

We talk a lot about communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence at work. But none of those can happen without one essential skill—self-awareness.

Real self-awareness isn’t just knowing your strengths. It’s recognizing your blind spots. It’s understanding how your tone, timing, or even silence can affect someone else’s performance or well-being.

It’s uncomfortable—but it’s the root of empathy. And I learned that the hard way. When you start seeing your own flaws clearly, you stop judging others so quickly. You stop assuming. You start listening.

And sometimes, a small moment can crack you wide open.

Self-awareness isn’t a personality trait. It’s a daily check-in.

A Story That Changed My Outlook

A few years ago, in one of my earlier fast-paced corporate environment where results mattered more than relationships. Everyone was busy proving themselves, including me. I was managing a project that required cross-department collaboration, and we were up against tight deadlines.

That’s when Bharat was assigned to the team.

He was quiet. Always on time, did his work, but rarely spoke in meetings. He never pushed his ideas, never chimed in during brainstorming sessions, and didn’t hang around for casual chatter. People described him as “hard to read.” Some said he wasn’t a team player.

I’ll admit—I didn’t think much of him. I assumed he’d sit on the sidelines and do the bare minimum. In high-pressure projects, I relied on fast talkers and visible energy. Bharat wasn’t that.

Then came the day we hit a wall.

Our project plan was starting to unravel—timelines were slipping, dependencies were unclear, and miscommunication was building tension across teams. We called an urgent sync to regroup.

That’s when Bharat spoke up.

Softly, but clearly, he said, “I’ve been mapping out where the handoffs are failing. I think the issue isn’t the people—it’s the structure. We’re duplicating effort in two areas and missing one entirely.”

He shared his screen.

What followed was one of the most well-organized breakdowns I’d seen. He had documented workflows, identified gaps, and created a visual of how our team could re-align without burning out. He even proposed a three-step recovery strategy that could get us back on track—without asking anyone to work weekends.

The room went silent.

Have you ever misjudged someone—only to realize later how much value they brought to the table?

Then, one of the senior leads said, “Why didn’t we see this sooner?”

And that was my ah-ha moment.

We hadn’t seen it sooner because we weren’t paying attention. I wasn’t paying attention. I was too focused on loud confidence and visible energy. Meanwhile, Bharat had been quietly doing what great collaborators do—listening, observing, connecting dots.

He didn’t need the spotlight. He needed space.

That moment taught me something simple but powerful:

Awareness shapes perception.
Perception shapes solutions.

Bharat didn’t change that day—I did. I stopped assuming silence meant disinterest. I started noticing the quieter contributors in every room. And I started questioning my own lens—what I was choosing to see, and what I was unconsciously filtering out.

Empathy doesn’t start with big gestures. It starts with paying attention.

What You Can Do

Self-awareness isn’t a soft skill—it’s a strategic one. It changes how we lead, how we collaborate, and how we show up.

Ask yourself:

• Do I dominate conversations without realizing?
• Do I assume silence means disinterest?
• Do I make space for different working styles?
• Who on my team am I not really seeing?

Sometimes, the kindest thing you can do is simply see someone

When we become more aware of how we operate, we become better at honoring how others operate too.

And that’s where empathy begins—not in feelings, but in clarity.

The more you understand yourself—your habits, your impact—the more space you create for others to be seen. Not judged. Not fixed. Just seen.

Because empathy doesn’t start with grand gestures. It starts with presence. With noticing the quiet ones. With owning your role, even in the silence.

And sometimes, the most human thing you can do is pause long enough to see someone fully—for the first time.

Why I Do This Work Now

That experience with Bharat stayed with me. It made me realize how easily we misread others when we don’t understand ourselves.

That’s the reason I took up the Insights Discovery program.
Today, I train teams to become more self-aware. This helps them build trust and communicate better. It also unlocks the full potential of everyone in the room.

Because once you start seeing people for who they really are—not just how they appear—you can lead, collaborate, and connect in a whole new way.