Reflecting is a useful tool

Why you may well wonder. It’s a no brainer for sure.

Taking time to reflect on what has happened enables us to rethink where we are and where we want to go. AND then to reboot so that we can reset our course going forward.

The key element is taking time. The challenge is persuading ourselves to take that time.  Exceptional leaders make taking time to reflect an integral part of their day, their week, their year. Great role models.

Reflecting using the thinking points – some of them or all as appropriate and relevant pick and mix to suit – below can be used for example:

*following a conversation, a meeting, a Zoom, stakeholder or client encounter, a result that was unexpected or unwanted, a conflict situation, preparing for a meeting or conversation or presentation as well as following it, preparing for an interview, getting ready for an appraisal either as employee or manager, reviewing the week or month or quarter or year.

And you will probably think of other situations in which reflecting would be perfect to set aside enough time for.

Reflecting needs to be integrated into, interwoven within, inseparable from all that you do. Especially during the challenging time in which we find ourselves right now.

Reflecting to discover, assess, appreciate what works well and what could work even better. Works well and work even better keeps us in forward thinking mode and out of the negative, blame trap.

Reflect on and write down:

  • 3 things you have lost or missed
  • 3 things you have gained or developed or learned
  • 3 challenges you dealt with and what has that helped you learn?
  • at your lowest moment, what was happening?
  • what keeps / kept you awake at night and what strategies did you develop?
  • what consequences have there been for you as a result of the pandemic — good and bad? How can you learn from them
  • what touched your heart
  • when asked what did you do in the pandemic what will you reply?

For the year ahead or next meeting * for other situations write down:

  • 1 thing you need to release and by when will you do that?
  • 1 thing you’d like to develop or change or explore?
  • What are you afraid of?
  • What are you excited about?
  • What action can you take right now that will make a qualitative difference?