Thursday's leadership insight: The Intentional Practice of Reflection What it is What it Isn't What Makes it an Indispensable Leadership Skill

Do you remember the last time you learned any skill? We try something we don't do so well; we reflect maybe with the aid of a mentor, like dad teaching you to ride a bike or drive or, in my case, time with my tech coach. Our reflection leads to learning, and reflection leads to action, understanding, and eventually mastering the skill. All leaders must be learners, and that requires reflection. Parents know this well, especially those who use time outs or think about it as a time to teach appropriate behaviors to their children. It also gives them a break to consider their responses. Coaches use time outs to pause and reflect with their teams during games when things are going downhill or at a serious juncture and half-time to readjust. The most effective leaders are learners. Reflection is the key to learning. During the height of the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln noted that if he had 8 hours to cut down a tree, he would think, plan, and sharpen his ax for 7 hours, then cut down the tree. The father of American Public Education, John Dewey, said 'We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience."

In 1929, the Coca-Cola company developed a classic advertising slogan to remind everyone to pause and sell their product as a way to do this. They referred to buying and consuming Coca-Cola as "The Pause That Refreshes." ?Concentration camp survivor Victor Frankl noted that there is a space for choice between stimulus and response. He credited using this space to reflect and choose his survival.

Reflection is probably the most underused leadership skill. In my coaching and consulting with leaders, I often ask, "How often in a week do you reflect upon your leadership?".The answers are usually in the disheartening range of 3-4 times, and I often hear the phrase "not often enough !" Sadly, these same leaders report they deal with communication problems and personality drama over 20%-30%of their week, and they are exhausted. I find that many of the leaders I work with need skills to practice reflection and the permission to take what they consider to be "off "time by sitting, walking, exercising, and thinking.

The intentional practice of reflection is a content skill of leadership. It is a learnable skill that is foundational to the inside-outside development of one's leadership practice. John Maxwell often says that activity reflected upon creates insights; it can also be said activity that is not reflected upon sets the ground for repeated errors. This Thursday's leadership insight shares what reflection is.,what reflection is not, and some benefits of an intentional practice of reflection to enhance one's leadership practice. Examples of how leaders have used reflection and reflective practices will be shared.

Reflection in leadership is a powerful tool for personal and professional growth and self-care. It involves taking a step back to examine one's actions, thoughts, and behaviors as a leader. As Harry Kraemer, former C.E.O. of Baxter International and leadership expert at Northwestern University Kellog School of Business, says, "At the end of the day, everything related to leadership starts with self-reflection."

What Reflection Is

Reflection is an intentional, continuous process of self-improvement involving deep and thoughtful examination of one's experiences, with the aim of gaining insight and enhancing personal and professional development and practice. It's a choice to become self-aware and willing to make changes for the better.

"Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences and failing to achieve anything meaningful."

Margret Wheatly

Common Misconceptions About Reflection

1. Reflection is a waste of time. Readers sometimes buy into the myth that they must constantly be busy. Reflection is a "Pause to refresh" and is needed for clarity. Leadership expert Margret Wheatly often said, "Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences and failing to achieve anything meaningful."

2. Reflection is not a week on vacation or a monastery visit. Harry Kraemer, a Northwestern University professor at the Kellogg School of Business and past C.E.O. of Baxter Pharmaceuticals, notes in a blog post titled "What Self-Reflection Is Not: "That reflection is not 'mindless wandering around staring at your navel' but a time away from distractions to focus. It is an intentional, structured process of focused time with minimal distractions routinely scheduled and acted on as an essential leadership content skill."

3. Reflection is purely introspective: While introspection is part of reflection, effective reflection involves considering external feedback and observation and planning for future actions.

4. Reflection requires extensive time. Coa hes in any game get short time outs and a half time. The best ones use their timeouts and use half-time to make adjustments. Eve brief, regular periods of reflection can be beneficial. It reates what time management expert? Julia Funt calls "white space. "It can be a short time committed to reflecting on your day.

5. Reflection is a solitary activity: While personal reflection is essential, collaborative reflection with peers or mentors can provide valuable insights. This practice also models for the leader one is growing about the value of reflection.

Benefits of Intentional Reflection in Leadership

1.? An intentional practice of reflection increases self-awareness: Reflection helps leaders understand their strengths, weaknesses, and impact on others, which leads to enhanced decision-making. By examining past experiences, leaders can make more informed choices in the future. Reflective leaders are better equipped to handle change and uncertainty.

2.? An intentional practice of reflection leads to stronger relationships: Understanding oneself better leads to improved communication and empathy with team members and other stakeholders.

3.? An intentional practice of reflection leads to accelerated learning and growth: Reflection turns experiences into valuable insights and lessons for future actions. A practice of deliberate group reflection builds the leadership team and models the importance of reflection. This group approach creates what Basketball coaching legend John Wooden referred to as "acting in deliberate haste."

4.? An intentional practice of reflection provides a space to be clear on alignment with values and goals: Reflection ensures leaders stay true to their core principles and long-term objectives.

5.? An intentional practice of reflection enhances self-care leadership sustainability and resilience. Chris Goede of the Maxwell Leadership Corporate Facilitators Group, in a recent Minute with Maxwell, noted that leadership takes energy and that intentional reflection is self-care to build up one's energy to be the best leader one can be. He notes self-care is essential as "you can't give what you don't have. Sustainability and resilience start with self-care. When you are at your best, you can lead at your best. Take an hour a week for growth and time daily to reflect on choices you make today to determine how long and how well you can lead, journal, and Invest in yourself to continue at a high level."

Recommended Reflection Practices for Leaders

1.? Daily journaling: Spend 10 minutes each day writing about your experiences, decisions, and emotions.

2.? Regular self-assessment: Use tools like the "5 Rs of reflection" (Reporting, Responding, Relating, Reasoning, and Reconstructing) to structure your reflective process1.

3.? Peer reflection: Engage in regular discussions with trusted colleagues or mentors to gain different perspectives on your leadership.

4.? Schedule time to think. Paula Farris of the Global Leadership Summit refers to this ?practice as? taking a "Strategic Pause." Juliet Funt, author and productivity expert, advocates for deliberately creating "white space" in our schedules for reflection, arguing that it's essential for creativity and strategic thinking.

5.? Harry Kraemer says his reflection time is a 15-minute walk in the garden. He takes time to let himself think about where things are going and ponder further actions

6.? Kraemer, when the CEO of Multinational Baxter, asked himself two questions at bedtime;

1. Did I do my best?

2. Did I do the right thing?

7.? ?John Maxwell provides a 5 step model for reflection ?in a Maxwell leadership blog, Reflect and Revise: A 5-Step Process for Personal Growth

.?????? 1. ASIDE TIME FOR REFLECTION

??????? 2. REMOVE YOURSELF FROM DISTRACTIONS.

?3. ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION

4. REGULARLY REVIEW YOUR CALENDAR OR JOURNAL.

5. CEMENT YOUR LEARNING THROUGH ACTION.

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"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From quiet reflection will come even more effective action."

Peter Drucker

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Leadership expert John Maxwell emphasizes the importance of reflection, stating, "Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is." Peter Drucker, a renowned management consultant, adds, "Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From quiet reflection will come even more effective action."

Examples of Reflective Leaders

1.? Abraham Lincoln was known for his reflective nature, often writing letters to himself to work through complex issues.

2.? Nelson Mandela used his time in prison to reflect deeply on his leadership style and vision for South Africa, which greatly influenced his approach upon release.

3.? Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, attributes her success to her commitment to self-reflection and continuous learning. She sets aside time daily to reflect on her decisions and actions, seeking feedback from her team and other leaders.

In conclusion, reflection is an indispensable skill for leaders who wish to improve and adapt to learn and practice intentionally continually. By incorporating regular reflection into their practice, leaders can enhance their effectiveness, build stronger relationships, and navigate the complexities of modern leadership with greater clarity and purpose.

Try the Pause That Refreshes!

The Leadership questions for you:

1. Do you have an intentional practice of reflection?

2. Will you choose to practice reflections in your leadership practice intentionally?

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