What‘s an inexpensive yet valuable gift we can give ourselves—and our leaders? Time to reflect.
Reflecting—thinking quietly and calmly—requires setting aside valuable time, which you also could use for managing the present and planning the future.
Yet if you don’t reflect—as I wrote in an early issue of my monthly eNewsletter The LEAN COMMUNICATOR—you do yourself a disservice. You may miss opportunities to get refreshed, you may fail to gain valuable insights, or you may run the risk of repeating mistakes.
Reflection also was one of themes I noted at the Lean Enterprise Institute’s 2010 Lean Transformation Summit and wrote about in my blog, Get Conference Tips and Themes from a LEAN Summit Groupie
Several speakers remarked on the value of reflection. For example, one speaker talked about how he took some time when he became CEO to examine what past CEOs had done when they took office. He realized that they all had started new, bold initiatives, many of which fizzled out a few months later. He decided to take a different tack and stick with ongoing efforts, especially since the organization had just started to reap benefits. And guess what? They got better results. And they’re even more committed to a culture of continual improvement.
Reflection time also helps you consider how you’re adding value and whether you’re spending your time on the actions that matter, as I wrote about in my last Communitelligence blog, Do a Makeover from Mass to Lean.
If you don’t regularly meditate or contemplate recent events, consider these three ways to reflect, from least time intensive to most. You also can offer to spend reflection time with the leaders you support, who also can appreciate and benefit from the experience.
1. Multitask by reflecting while you do ordinary activities. Decide to set aside time to mull over an issue while you’re driving, walking the dog, running on the treadmill, picking up around the house, or doing some other relatively mundane task.
2. Ask a colleague or friend to reflect with you. The individual can either serve as a sounding board or an active participant, challenging you to explain your actions.
3. Get a group of people together for a group reflection. For instance, set aside a portion of a staff meeting to do a debrief about a recent project. Or go out to a group lunch and rehash a meeting or event.
Some good questions for reflection are:
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How are the actual results achieved to date tracking against predicted outcomes?
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What surprised me?
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What challenged me?
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What bored me that I want to avoid next time if I can?
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What inspired me?
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What touched me?
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What turned out especially well? Not so well? Why?
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What would I/we have done differently?
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What do I want to be sure to do next time?
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What are the biggest lessons I have learned?
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What actions am I going to take now, based on this reflection?
Taking time to reflect provides positive payback.
Liz Guthridge is a consultant, author, and trainer specializing in strategic change communications. Department leaders of Fortune 1000 companies hire Liz and her firm Connect Consulting Group LLC when they need their people—who are confused, angry or in denial—to adopt complex new initiatives so they can quickly change the way they work. For more information, contact Liz, liz.guthridge@connectconsultinggroup.com or 510-527-1213. Follow Liz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/lizguthridge.
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