Reflective Learning – it’s what sets the most successful apart
There is always a reason not to change, and many of us are familiar with apparently intractable systems, or ways of working that seem impervious to our best and most impassioned efforts. One long standing organisational client of mine has spent years trying to dislodge a culture where decisions are routinely escalated through a series of ever more senior leaders and committees. Everyone knows it’s a drag on responsiveness and creativity. But nobody has seemed able to really make the break and change it. Until now! Covid-19 has forced change on all of us. It has brought down barriers, removed obstacles, accelerated change programmes and fired up new ways of thinking.
Other leaders I am working with are finding new challenges in the way we interact with teams and colleagues in our new virtual normal. They are discovering new ways of leading and having to adapt to a life where work and home quite literally interact. Some of these changes are immensely productive, some not so much. For many, just keeping the business running for customers and your team engaged and on task feels like as much as they can do.
Despite the pressures, there is a truly golden opportunity here. And so many questions to ask yourself as a leader.
What insight have you gained? How can you be sure that you don’t lose this insight? How will you identify the best and worst of these changes? How can you identify old ways of working that no longer serve you, and be sure not to embed new ones that don’t? What kind of a leader do you need to be now? And next?
Sometimes the superficial or immediate indicators aren’t the most reliable. For all these reasons it’s critical that we make time for structured reflection. It doesn’t need to take too long, and will be an investment of time and energy well spent.
The opportunity to reflect alongside trusted peers, with a compassionate and challenging facilitator brings amazing returns. A chance to look dispassionately at your situation, to clarify the issues, and quantify the available evidence. A chance to evaluate how you and others feel, as well as what you know. A chance to safely and frankly share experience and best practice.
Virtual ExecEd are hosting a number of Leader Reflection Circles to help meet this need. Read more about them, reserve your space and register your interest here. Sessions are available one to one or in groups.
