"Lack Of...": 35-Year-Old CEO Shares Top Red Flag In Employees

Everette Taylor, the CEO of Kickstarter, values self-awareness in his employees above all else. He believes that people without self-awareness tend to be ego-driven and less collaborative. Such individuals often prioritize their desires over the needs of their team and customers.

In contrast, self-aware employees are more open to feedback, ideas, and collaboration. This trait can enhance communication, relationships, creativity, and productivity. Despite the widespread belief in self-awareness, research shows that only a small percentage of people truly possess it.

"I try to keep my ego at the door. I'm wrong all the time. I have an incredible team that's super smart and will put me in my place, and I love that," Mr Taylor told CNBC Make It. 

Mr Taylor himself actively works on building his self-awareness. He emphasizes the importance of humility and acknowledges that he is often wrong. He also incorporates questions about self-awareness and ego control into his job interviews. 

By asking candidates about their past mistakes and how they've handled them, Mr Taylor can assess their ability to take accountability and learn from their experiences. He believes that individuals who struggle with this are likely to lack self-awareness.

"You can really tell," says Taylor. "The people that aren't self-aware, they really struggle with this."

Other hiring managers also use similar techniques to identify self-awareness in candidates. For example, Claire Hughes Johnson, a former Google VP, asks candidates how their colleagues would describe them. She then probes for constructive feedback they've received and assesses their willingness to learn and improve.

Hughes Johnson believes that excessive use of "I" can indicate a lack of humility, while excessive use of "we" may suggest an inability to take credit appropriately.

"how their colleagues would describe them. If they only say good things, I probe what constructive feedback they've received," she wrote for Make It last year.

"Then I'll say, 'And what have you done to improve?' to check their orientation towards learning and self-improvement, and to see whether they've taken that feedback to heart," she continued.

To build your own self-awareness, Han recommends seeking feedback from your manager and colleagues. By understanding your strengths and areas for improvement, you can develop stronger relationships, interact more effectively with your team, and ultimately succeed in your career.