Self-awareness, without the drama
The CTRL Awareness Model™ self-awareness assessment
Modern work is fast, emotional and unpredictable. Roles blur, AI speeds everything up, and it is easy to miss what you are actually bringing into the room. CTRL gives you a clear, coach-grade mirror for how you show up when things get real – and one practical shift you can test straight away.
“How can you change something you are not consciously aware of?” — The Learning Mindset
Why it matters
If around 90% of people believe they are self-aware but only 10–15% actually meet the bar, the gap is not just academic. It shows up in real meetings, real decisions and real relationships. The CTRL Awareness Model™ exists to help you close that gap. Research also shows most people overestimate their self-awareness—see this summary from NIH featuring organisational psychologist Dr Tasha Eurich. Read the research →
The Die Hard 2 dial
In Die Hard 2, the villain quietly adjusts the “sea-level” setting on the runway guidance by a few hundred feet. The instruments still look normal. The pilots think they are on a safe approach.
Self-awareness works in the same way. A slightly mis-set internal dial can make you feel calm, fair and clear… while others experience you as intense, defensive or dismissive.
By the time you realise something is off, the impact has already landed. CTRL helps you calibrate that dial earlier, before friction turns into fallout.
Sam, the “very self-aware” manager
Imagine a manager called Sam. Sam prides themselves on being emotionally intelligent. They often say things like “I am very self-aware” and “I always know how my team are feeling”.
Day to day, though:
- Sam interrupts people without noticing.
- Sam dismisses concerns because they think they have already understood them.
- Sam’s “honest feedback” lands like a small grenade.
- The team say they walk on eggshells—yet Sam is convinced they create safety.
Sam is not malicious; they are miscalibrated. Their inner picture of their impact does not match reality in the room. CTRL gives people like Sam (and the rest of us) a clearer mirror for how we actually show up, so that small shifts become possible.
The model at a glance
The CTRL Awareness Model™ does not start by asking, “How self-aware do you think you are?” Instead, it shows you short, realistic situations and different ways people might respond. You choose the response that feels closest to what you would actually do.
This “behaviour first” approach is psychologically safer and usually more accurate than rating yourself in the abstract. You are comparing real responses in real scenes, not trying to guess your own score.
When your answers are combined, they place you within four distinct states of awareness: Concealed, Triggered, Regulated and Lead. Within each state, your pattern can be Emerging, Developing or Established.
Concealed
- Holds back until it feels safe
- Reads the room before sharing
- Keeps doubts and questions mostly private
Triggered
- Reacts quickly to cues and comments
- Speaks plainly in the moment
- Shows emotions openly – sometimes before reflection catches up
Regulated
- Balances feelings, fairness and facts
- Stays curious under pressure
- Seeks and uses feedback without over-reacting
Lead
- Reads unspoken dynamics early
- Adjusts presence before issues escalate
- Creates psychological safety and steadies others
This is your mirror to mindset maturity – it helps you orientate, not rank yourself. The 12-point CTRL chart in your report shows where awareness is Emerging, Developing or Established across all four states.
CTRL self-awareness assessment tiers
Meet the CTRL Awareness Model™ at the depth that suits you. Every tier uses the same core language; each step adds more detail, support and ways to work with your results.
What you get in each tier
The same assessment under the hood; different levels of insight and support unlocked for each tier.
Why this design is credible
Why CTRL works when other tools fall short
CTRL fills a real gap between personality tools and emotional skills assessments. It focuses on state-based awareness — how you respond in real moments — rather than fixed traits or types.
- State-based, not type-based
Maps how your awareness moves in the moment (frequency + sequence), not who you “are”. - Context + behaviour, not labels
You choose between real behaviours in realistic scenes. This bypasses abstract self-rating bias. - Grounded in psychological safety
Each state comes with its own relational support needs — directly aligned with evidence-based safety stages. - Evidence-informed, not typology-driven
Avoids the issues seen in MBTI/DiSC/Insights (static types, mixed validity) in favour of dynamic awareness mapping. - Transparent maths, clean data
No black-box scoring. You can see how your state, sequence and themes interact.
Why a bot? (Conversational delivery)
A chatbot reduces test anxiety and keeps the process more reflective. You respond naturally, not like you are filling out a corporate audit.
- Low-friction, modern experience.
- Instant reporting — no waiting.
- Optional “history-aware” nudges across multiple sessions.
- Cleaner, more honest responses (less overthinking than long forms).
- Designed for humans — friendly, contextual and adaptive.
Common questions
Can you really assess self-awareness?
Yes — when you start with realistic behaviour, not abstract self-ratings. CTRL compares your responses across multiple scenarios and cues (what you noticed, what you did, how you shifted). This triangulation gives a reliable pattern rather than a guess.
Is this personality?
No. CTRL does not measure personality, preferences or traits. It tracks situational awareness behaviours — how you respond when something real happens.
Will this label me?
No. It shows where your awareness sits today and a safe next step. Your profile is a mirror, not a box.
What about privacy?
Minimal data. Secure processing. All sharing is opt-in. Designed for development — not hiring, not performance ranking.
Why use a chatbot instead of a form?
Because people answer more honestly in conversation than in long forms. Bots reduce overthinking, reduce social desirability bias, and allow follow-up prompts that feel human, not clinical.
Is there a “right” state?
No. Each state has strengths and blind spots. CTRL focuses on movement and maturity, not ranking or perfection.