Before You Rush to What’s Next, Pause to Learn from What Happened

As you probably know, an after-action review (AAR) looks retrospectively at an event, project, or initiative to examine what worked well and what could be improved.?

I’ve noticed that leaders often fail to conduct after-action reviews (even in cases where there would be a lot to learn), because they don’t want to invest the effort in looking backward.?

Instead, they move on to the next thing.?

This is a missed opportunity for learning.?

After-action reviews not only allow you to capture learnings that can be applied to similar initiatives in the future, they also foster greater collaboration during the project itself.

For example, if everyone knows at the outset that an after-action review will be conducted, there is greater incentive to anticipate and plan for what might go wrong.?

The team sets clearer goals going in, and works together more effectively to make sure those goals are met.?

Of course, it’s essential to make it clear that the point of the AAR isn’t to place blame, but rather to facilitate learning.?

After-action reviews are useful not just for big projects, but also for everyday life. If you make a point of reflecting at the end of each day on what you set out to do, and what actually transpired, you can apply those learnings to achieving continuous improvement. As one of my mentors, Alan Weiss, likes to say “If I get 1% better every day, in 70 days, I’m twice as good.”

A simple way to incorporate after-action reviews into your work life is to make a habit of soliciting feedback from colleagues on a regular basis. Ask questions such as “How did I come across in that meeting?” or “What would you suggest I do in the future to get better results in situations like we just faced?” You’ll not only get valuable feedback on how to improve, you will also enrich your relationships with co-workers.??

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Amanda Setili helps successful leaders and their teams agree on what needs to change and how to make it happen. She is author of?Fearless?Growth :?The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate Your Markets, and?The Agility Advantage , How to Identify and Act On Opportunities in a Fast-Changing World.?

For more strategies, videos and free materials, please visit?www.setili.com , and check out these quick examples of the type of work we do. Or listen to the Fearless Growth Podcast.

?Contact?Amanda ?to discuss how she works with companies to improve profits, performance and growth.