By Dr Eric Perez
I have had the absolute good fortune to speak with leaders, entrepreneurs, and consultants through my leadership podcast. The topic of individual leader reflection was raised in many of the discussions and offline. The need for reflective leader practice is not a groundbreaking observation but understanding why reflection is important for the individual leader, the longevity of organisations and impacts on team building and cohesion is critically important.
There is no shortage of academic research and consultancy attention to understanding why reflective leader practice matters. In a more connected world of work, the constant need to focus on the viability of the organisation and the management and leadership of teams I believe the reality of the modern workplace is that leaders simply do not have the time to reflect in a meaningful way. Not because they do not want to but that commodity that is supremely valuable is in short supply, time. Add to this the pressing need to achieve a work-life balance and it’s clear that setting aside time for reflection as a leader is a difficult proposition.
Jennifer Porter, writing for the Harvard Business Review in 2017, observed that the practice of reflection is critical, noting:
“At its simplest, reflection is about careful thought. But the kind of reflection that is really valuable to leaders is more nuanced than that. The most useful reflection involves the conscious consideration and analysis of beliefs and actions for the purpose of learning. Reflection gives the brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider multiple possible interpretations, and create meaning. This meaning becomes learning, which can then inform future mindsets and actions. For leaders, this ‘meaning making’ is crucial to their ongoing growth and development.”
More recently, I spoke with Anita Hobson-Powell, Director of Advancia Consulting and the former CEO of Exercise & Sports Science Australia, on the topic of reflective leadership. Part of the discussion focused on the need for understanding how you ‘show up’ for work and how you display what you value—and why that matters. On the need for reflective leader practice, I also spoke with Dr Wade Azmy who noted that reflective leader practice is not an innate skill but one that is consciously developed over time. Wade explained leaders can consider:
- The what – trying to understand what has happened
- The so what – what does it mean for me
- The now what – what am I going to do about it
At its most basic level, reflective leader practice is a process that helps to identify our blind spots—what they mean for leaders and the teams we lead. Reflective practice is not always a solo endeavour. After speaking with Anita and Wade, it’s clear that effective leader practitioners invite feedback to improve their metacognition—thinking about how we think.
