In 2015, I wrote: “Know yourself; seek self-improvement.” The Marine Corps taught me that early, and it remains the first principle of leading across difference.

Simple? Yes. Easy? Not at all.

Most leaders assume they know themselves. Few actually do. True self-awareness requires more than strengths assessments or 360 reviews—it requires asking uncomfortable questions:

• What makes me anxious?
• Where do I avoid tough conversations?
• What biases, spoken or unspoken, still shape how I lead?

Now Hear This: You can’t lead others well until you’ve led yourself honestly. Your team already knows who you are. The question is—do you?

In 2025, the noise is louder, the stakes are higher, and the pressure to “get it right” can feel overwhelming. But the starting point hasn’t changed. If you want to lead across race, gender, or culture, start with this:

Introduce yourself… to yourself.

What have you learned about yourself as a leader in the past year?

Colonel John Boggs, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

Because leadership is too important to get wrong.