By: Less T. Csorba
This book examines the inner dimension of leadership, arguing that technical expertise and strategic skill mean little without the self-awareness to recognize one’s blind spots. Drawing from years in corporate advisory and leadership coaching, Csorba explores how seeing ourselves clearly impacts trust, culture, and performance across every level of an organization.
Content & Structure
Aware unfolds around a central premise: awareness is the cornerstone of effective leadership. Each section explores how blind spots form, how they affect teams, and what leaders can do to expose them. Csorba weaves personal observation with leadership case studies, illustrating how unchecked habits and assumptions can quietly undermine influence.
The structure alternates between reflection and practical application—inviting readers to assess their own leadership style while offering frameworks for feedback, listening, and course correction.
Writing Style & Approach
Csorba writes with the voice of a coach and strategist rather than an academic. The tone is confident but approachable, mixing professional insight with relatable storytelling from business and public-service experience. His goal isn’t to deliver theory it’s to spark introspection. The book avoids jargon and instead uses accessible language to make leadership psychology tangible for everyday readers.
What Works Well
- Authentic lens on leadership: Csorba’s firsthand experience gives credibility to his discussion of ego, feedback, and humility.
- Actionable reflection: Practical exercises encourage readers to translate awareness into behavior, not just thought.
- Relevance across industries: The message applies as much to field leaders and engineers as to executives or coaches.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Less focus on data, more on mindset: Readers seeking research-heavy analysis may find the material more reflective than empirical.
- Requires openness: The book’s impact depends on the reader’s willingness to look inward; resistant audiences may disengage early.
The Bottom Line
- Aware is a modern leadership guide that trades corporate clichés for personal clarity. It argues that awareness, not authority, is the real foundation of effective influence. For professionals in fast-paced, high-pressure industries like energy, it serves as a reminder that self-knowledge drives every strong culture, every safe team, and every consistent result.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Who This Book Is For:
- Leaders navigating people management after years of technical or operational work
- Veterans or executives seeking to balance discipline with emotional intelligence
- Coaches, mentors, or HR professionals building stronger leadership cultures
Who This Book Not Is For:
- Readers looking for academic studies or data-driven psychology
- Those uncomfortable with self-reflection or feedback-based development