Reflection

This month we spent time talking about a leadership strategy that really matters: refection. And, in an interview with theschoolhouse302, Dr. Sharon Pepukayi profoundly reviewed her one thing that matters for reflection, which was self-reflection. Listen here if you didn’t already. In fact, reflection should be an action, even scheduled to ensure consistent execution. In a conversation with a friend who read our post about reflecting, it was clear that he had some serious skepticism that the daily grind didn’t allow for time to reflect. We challenge that with scheduled reflection time each day. Try uncommon places that otherwise fill time like when driving in your car, taking a shower, or during your evening run. If you have to force reflection, do so for a while, and when you reap the benefits, we bet that you won’t let a day go by without it.

Learning to Lead

Reflecting on leadership practices is the best way to learn to be a better leader. Sometimes it takes using a mentor before or after you reflect, but reflecting accurately enough to be able to change practices to better support others as a leader is critical to success. We also suggest book studies, and this month, we’re suggesting Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute. In a nutshell, this book can help any reader to realize that our views of ourselves are not always the views of those in our organizations. Getting out of the box has a lot of meaning, but it certainly means taking a look at yourself through some serious self-reflection to determine if you’re treating others in the way that best suits progress forward and value-driven leadership. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Change an Old Habit

Breaking old habits is hard. Use this time of year to reflect on things that work and things that don’t. Time reflecting can actually save time if it helps to illuminate something that you can eliminate. Not so long ago, we suggested throwing away your teacher handbook for a myriad of reasons:

“Instead of developing and revising your teacher handbook this summer, make a list of other things you shouldn’t spend time doing.”

Maybe there are simple things that are time consuming that if reflected on in terms of effectiveness might as well get moved aside for more pressing and successful endeavors.

This stuff is simple, but it works. Let us know how reflection is helping you.

Joe and T.J.