06/06
Transparent
Self-awareness

Honest reflection
Adaptive growth
Open vulnerability

What is it?

When is it crucial in a company’s life journey?

Why founders fail

How to hone this skill

01
What is it?

This is the wild-card trait which impacts on the success of all of the others. It allows you to recognize your strengths, identify your weaknesses, and act accordingly.

The most successful founders are unafraid to acknowledge shortcomings, openly reflect on their actions, and seek feedback without defensiveness. This mindset enables you to make better decisions, attract the right talent, and scale your leadership alongside your business.

“I think the core competitive advantage in a business is awareness. You can only act on what you're aware of. [...] This means we have to keep advancing our mental models, removing ego while being as rational as possible.”

Carl Pei, CEO and Founder, Nothing

Self-aware leaders are not threatened by hiring people who are smarter than them. You know what you don’t know and actively surround yourself with people who fill those gaps.

Thomas Plantenga of Vinted models this by sharing his annual 360-degree self-evaluation and improvement points with the entire company during all-hands – demonstrating that growth starts at the top.

Similarly, Cesar Carvalho of Wellhub structures time for weekly feedback: “We push people to give feedback to each other every week. I have a one-hour block in my calendar every Friday morning to give feedback to everyone that I interacted with during the week that I either felt did a great job or could have done a better job. And I get a lot of feedback from my direct reports and the board. And I learn a lot from it. It's great.”



02
When is it crucial in a company’s life journey?

At the scale-up stage, not being able to do this is one of the key reasons why founders tap out. If they are central to everything, then the organisation just can’t scale to its maximum potential.

And this self-awareness is critical, not just for personal growth but also to know if you are not the right person to take your business to the next level.

“The thing I’ve seen other founders struggle with is a slow pace of learning, plateauing early in their personal growth, and not being able to deliver as the company grows to the next stage. My advice to founders who can't grow is to sell the business or step aside and let somebody else run it while taking a smaller role.” Carl Pei, CEO and Founder, Nothing.

03
Why founders fail

Because everything within the business, particularly early on, has been led and shaped by the founder, they often find it difficult to separate their ego from the organization. But at a certain stage, you are no longer the founder but the CEO, and becoming this person means you have to relinquish things you love doing.

Some founders also just stop questioning themselves.

“Smart people tend to be right. And when you're right most of the time, it's easy to stop asking yourself: 'Could I be wrong this time?'”

Markus Halttunen of Small Giant Games.

This can lead to a false self-awareness.

Thinking that you are good at something is probably the most dangerous thought ever. When you think you’re good at something, you tend not to make progress on it or put effort into it. I have a self-awareness about what I’m more or less comfortable with, but I always challenge these certainties I have around myself. If I think I’m good at something, I need to check it regularly. ‘Am I still good at these things?’ I don’t want to let my guard down on topics where I think I’m good.”

Joel Belafa, CEO and Co-founder, Biolevate

04
How to hone this skill

  • Topline: Use transparent self-awareness as your foundation for growth

    Transparent self-awareness is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. It’s about accepting that you are a mix of strengths and weaknesses – and being okay with that. Feedback and weaknesses don't define you; they are simply reflections of your behaviors in specific contexts.

  • When you detach from emotional reactions to feedback, you can view it as an opportunity to refine how you approach high-pressure situations, crises, and opportunities.

    This goes for you and your team.

  • Thomas Plantenga
    CEO, Vinted

    “You’re naturally inclined to not tell these hard truths. But if you don’t do it, it becomes an even bigger problem and it becomes even harder to say it. You need to push yourself to say the hard truths immediately when you see it, because then it becomes easier to talk about.”

  • Reframe feedback as fuel for growth

    Thought trap: “Feedback means I’m not good enough.”
    Reframe: “Feedback is a mirror for my actions, not my worth. It’s a guide for making better decisions.”

    Thought trap: “I have to fix all my weaknesses to succeed.”
    Reframe: “I succeed by amplifying my strengths and managing my weaknesses through awareness and support.”


  • Topline: Use transparent self-awareness as your foundation for growth

    Transparent self-awareness is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. It’s about accepting that you are a mix of strengths and weaknesses – and being okay with that. Feedback and weaknesses don't define you; they are simply reflections of your behaviors in specific contexts.

  • When you detach from emotional reactions to feedback, you can view it as an opportunity to refine how you approach high-pressure situations, crises, and opportunities.

    This goes for you and your team.

  • Thomas Plantenga
    CEO, Vinted

    “You’re naturally inclined to not tell these hard truths. But if you don’t do it, it becomes an even bigger problem and it becomes even harder to say it. You need to push yourself to say the hard truths immediately when you see it, because then it becomes easier to talk about.”

  • Reframe feedback as fuel for growth

    Thought trap: “Feedback means I’m not good enough.”
    Reframe: “Feedback is a mirror for my actions, not my worth. It’s a guide for making better decisions.”

    Thought trap: “I have to fix all my weaknesses to succeed.”
    Reframe: “I succeed by amplifying my strengths and managing my weaknesses through awareness and support.”


Topline: Use transparent self-awareness as your foundation for growth

Transparent self-awareness is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. It’s about accepting that you are a mix of strengths and weaknesses – and being okay with that. Feedback and weaknesses don't define you; they are simply reflections of your behaviors in specific contexts.

When you detach from emotional reactions to feedback, you can view it as an opportunity to refine how you approach high-pressure situations, crises, and opportunities.

This goes for you and your team.

Thomas Plantenga
CEO, Vinted

“You’re naturally inclined to not tell these hard truths. But if you don’t do it, it becomes an even bigger problem and it becomes even harder to say it. You need to push yourself to say the hard truths immediately when you see it, because then it becomes easier to talk about.”

Reframe feedback as fuel for growth

Thought trap: “Feedback means I’m not good enough.”
Reframe: “Feedback is a mirror for my actions, not my worth. It’s a guide for making better decisions.”

Thought trap: “I have to fix all my weaknesses to succeed.”
Reframe: “I succeed by amplifying my strengths and managing my weaknesses through awareness and support.”


Self-coaching techniques

  • Practice mindful detachment from feedback

    When receiving feedback, ask yourself: “What’s the one actionable insight here, separate from my emotions?” and “If I were advising someone else, how would I interpret this feedback constructively?”

  • Reflect on your patterns

    Regularly ask: “What strengths do I tend to overuse in stressful situations? How can I balance them more effectively?” and “What recurring feedback have I heard throughout my life? How can I use it as a guide to improve my context, not as a judgment of my worth?”

  • Tony Haile of Filament emphasizes the importance of immediate self-review and feedback rather than longer review cycles. He journals every day to reflect on his actions, identify patterns, and prevent recurring mistakes.

  • Tony Haile
    CEO and Co-founder, Filament

    “The worst thing to do is to read entries from previous years and find out that you're still dealing with the same problems. [...] So, when I journal, I’m reflecting on what I did that day, but also seeing what I was saying yesterday, a year ago, ten years ago.”

  • Use your strengths as anchors

    Before tackling a challenge, think: “Which strengths of mine can drive this forward?” and “How can I structure this situation to minimize the impact of my weaknesses?”

    Salma Bakouk of Sifflet uses her awareness of her ADHD as a way to work most effectively with her team.

  • Salma Bakouk
    CEO and Co-founder, Sifflet

    “I always start by saying, ‘Hey, I have ADHD, so help me answer these three questions, and then I promise you we don't need a two-hour meeting, we need 10 minutes and that's it.’ [...] If you’re coming to me, there is clearly a problem. Let's go straight to it.”

  • Short-term focus

    This week, identify one piece of recurring feedback you’ve received (e.g., “You can be too direct” or “You tend to miss details”). Reflect on how you’ve responded to this feedback in the past. Ask: “How can I use this insight to improve my approach in one key decision this week?”

  • Long-term growth

    Commit to regularly engaging with feedback and viewing it as data, not criticism. Over time, this practice helps you cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement, where you can lead with confidence and humility.

    And focus that continuous improvement where it can have the most impact.

  • Oscar Höglund
    CEO and Co-founder, Epidemic Sound

    “Everything needs to get to decent, and then you overspend time in the areas where you have an unfair competitive advantage. In other words, you’re better off pushing yourself to excel at the things you’re already good at, because that’s where you already have a competitive advantage. That’s where you can push the envelope.”

  • Practice mindful detachment from feedback

    When receiving feedback, ask yourself: “What’s the one actionable insight here, separate from my emotions?” and “If I were advising someone else, how would I interpret this feedback constructively?”

  • Reflect on your patterns

    Regularly ask: “What strengths do I tend to overuse in stressful situations? How can I balance them more effectively?” and “What recurring feedback have I heard throughout my life? How can I use it as a guide to improve my context, not as a judgment of my worth?”

  • Tony Haile of Filament emphasizes the importance of immediate self-review and feedback rather than longer review cycles. He journals every day to reflect on his actions, identify patterns, and prevent recurring mistakes.

  • Tony Haile
    CEO and Co-founder, Filament

    “The worst thing to do is to read entries from previous years and find out that you're still dealing with the same problems. [...] So, when I journal, I’m reflecting on what I did that day, but also seeing what I was saying yesterday, a year ago, ten years ago.”

  • Use your strengths as anchors

    Before tackling a challenge, think: “Which strengths of mine can drive this forward?” and “How can I structure this situation to minimize the impact of my weaknesses?”

    Salma Bakouk of Sifflet uses her awareness of her ADHD as a way to work most effectively with her team.

  • Salma Bakouk
    CEO and Co-founder, Sifflet

    “I always start by saying, ‘Hey, I have ADHD, so help me answer these three questions, and then I promise you we don't need a two-hour meeting, we need 10 minutes and that's it.’ [...] If you’re coming to me, there is clearly a problem. Let's go straight to it.”

  • Short-term focus

    This week, identify one piece of recurring feedback you’ve received (e.g., “You can be too direct” or “You tend to miss details”). Reflect on how you’ve responded to this feedback in the past. Ask: “How can I use this insight to improve my approach in one key decision this week?”

  • Long-term growth

    Commit to regularly engaging with feedback and viewing it as data, not criticism. Over time, this practice helps you cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement, where you can lead with confidence and humility.

    And focus that continuous improvement where it can have the most impact.

  • Oscar Höglund
    CEO and Co-founder, Epidemic Sound

    “Everything needs to get to decent, and then you overspend time in the areas where you have an unfair competitive advantage. In other words, you’re better off pushing yourself to excel at the things you’re already good at, because that’s where you already have a competitive advantage. That’s where you can push the envelope.”

Practice mindful detachment from feedback

When receiving feedback, ask yourself: “What’s the one actionable insight here, separate from my emotions?” and “If I were advising someone else, how would I interpret this feedback constructively?”

Reflect on your patterns

Regularly ask: “What strengths do I tend to overuse in stressful situations? How can I balance them more effectively?” and “What recurring feedback have I heard throughout my life? How can I use it as a guide to improve my context, not as a judgment of my worth?”

Tony Haile of Filament emphasizes the importance of immediate self-review and feedback rather than longer review cycles. He journals every day to reflect on his actions, identify patterns, and prevent recurring mistakes.

Tony Haile
CEO and Co-founder, Filament

“The worst thing to do is to read entries from previous years and find out that you're still dealing with the same problems. [...] So, when I journal, I’m reflecting on what I did that day, but also seeing what I was saying yesterday, a year ago, ten years ago.”

Use your strengths as anchors

Before tackling a challenge, think: “Which strengths of mine can drive this forward?” and “How can I structure this situation to minimize the impact of my weaknesses?”

Salma Bakouk of Sifflet uses her awareness of her ADHD as a way to work most effectively with her team.

Salma Bakouk
CEO and Co-founder, Sifflet

“I always start by saying, ‘Hey, I have ADHD, so help me answer these three questions, and then I promise you we don't need a two-hour meeting, we need 10 minutes and that's it.’ [...] If you’re coming to me, there is clearly a problem. Let's go straight to it.”

Short-term focus

This week, identify one piece of recurring feedback you’ve received (e.g., “You can be too direct” or “You tend to miss details”). Reflect on how you’ve responded to this feedback in the past. Ask: “How can I use this insight to improve my approach in one key decision this week?”

Long-term growth

Commit to regularly engaging with feedback and viewing it as data, not criticism. Over time, this practice helps you cultivate a mindset of continuous improvement, where you can lead with confidence and humility.

And focus that continuous improvement where it can have the most impact.

Oscar Höglund
CEO and Co-founder, Epidemic Sound

“Everything needs to get to decent, and then you overspend time in the areas where you have an unfair competitive advantage. In other words, you’re better off pushing yourself to excel at the things you’re already good at, because that’s where you already have a competitive advantage. That’s where you can push the envelope.”

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