Time to Reflect

As leaders, we are constantly looking ahead at how far we still want to go and how much we still want to accomplish that we often forget to pause and reflect. It feels wrong to look in the rear-view mirror when we are accelerating forwards towards our goals. But reflection is one leadership practice that can actually accelerate our progress if we only make the time for it. You cannot plot the route forward unless you know where you are and why.

Reflection is a valuable leadership practice

With this in mind, given that we are now in the second half of 2019, I’d like to encourage you to spend 10 – 15 minutes reflecting on the questions below. You may want to consider these questions in the context of your own personal leadership or in the context of the team that you are leading.

1. What one thing went really well in the first six months and what were the three biggest reasons for this?
2. What one thing did not go well in the first six months and what were the three biggest reasons for this?
3. What one lesson can you learn from this and take forward to help you finish 2019 even better than expected?

Reflection leads to robust planning

I hope that this 15 minute exercise practised regularly can help you form plans for the future that are more robust and rooted in lessons you’ve already learned.