The Power of Reflection

One of the most common reactions I get from people who experience executive coaching is:

“Wow, just having the time and space to think about that issue I’ve been grappling with has been great!”

When was the last time you hit the pause button?

Today’s business landscape is fast paced, complex and demanding, so it’s little wonder this environment has moulded many of us into literal ‘action men.’

Einstein said, “there is more to life than increasing speed” – but almost all organisational environments encourage us to do just that.

Whilst I recognise that a bias for action is a powerful strength in a leader, so too is the ability to press the pause button to mull over issues and challenges on a regular basis.

I firmly believe that reflection itself is an action.  Harnessing the power of reflection is integral, not only to the success of a leader, but the success of an organisation as a whole.

Why is reflection (particularly self reflection) such a vital tool for leaders?

The following model illustrates the four step reflection/action cycle:

By carrying out a constant stream of actions without taking time to reflect, we miss out on the ‘holy grail’ that follows from reflection – insight – which in turn inevitably leads to better quality decisions.

Whether its ensuring you block time out in your diary explicitly for strategy, employ exercise as your daily ‘thinking time’ or use those waits in airport lounges to write down your contemplations and ruminations, I challenge you to make more time in your busy schedule for reflection – and reap the rewards.

Takeaway:

Try this simple reflection exercise, based on The Egan Coaching Model*:

Think of a work related problem or challenge.  Put aside 20 minutes uninterrupted and write down the following:

Step One: Problem Identification

What exactly is the problem? Be as specific as possible. What is contributing to the problem? What effect is this problem having on me? others? What are my thoughts and preconceived ideas about this problem which may be hindering a solution?

Step Two: Generating Alternatives.

Brainstorm as many alternative solutions as you can think of (no evaluation at this point).  The goal here is to come up with as many ideas and viable solutions as possible.

Step Three: Evaluate the Options.

You could use simple pro’s  and con’s, consider the consequences of each particular alternative, weigh up each solution against the objective, or simply ask, “what is the best fit for me and why?

Step Four: Choose a solution and develop a plan for implementation.

– Suzi

*Ref: Egan, Gerard.  The Skilled Helper, 6^th edn. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company 1998.