Reflection is likely the number one tool on the road to improvement. Whether one is wanting to improve their wrestling stance, their pitching performance, their teaching practice, or their instructional coaching practice 😉 the ability to honestly reflect on their current state positions one to improve.
This point was driven home in a recent Maxwell Leadership Podcast hosted by Mark Cole. During the podcast, listeners were able to here from John Maxwell, himself, as well as host Mark’s reflection.
Maxwell told listeners that he engages in reflection every night, which involves talking to himself. The key point about his reflection is that he has learned to make that reflection lead to action. For example, when reflecting on his day, if he finds himself wishing he had done something, he thinks through the possibility of making it happen tomorrow. And then he takes action on it.
Shortly after listening to that podcast episode, I was participating in a Zoom session as part of a book study hosted by The Reading League. Our book study is centered around Maxwell’s book, High Road Leadership. In that session, Maxwell shared the following quote: “Remove good intentions and replace them with good actions.”
I spend much of my time thinking through a lot of “I should have’s…” I appreciate Maxwell’s call to action, and wonder if it just might be enough to curtail those middle-of-the-night “panic attacks” where I am riddled with all of the things I should have done.
Maxwell outlines five steps that he goes through when he engages in his nightly reflection including:
- Review by myself
- I ask myself questions
- I talk to myself
- I direct myself
- I take action
Five easy steps that I plan to take action on 🙂 and implement at the end of each day. This process will serve as the other “bookend” for my days. The original “bookend” is one that I’ve written about before, and still engage in every day: before getting out of bed each morning, I take five deep breaths. With each breath, I focus on something I am thankful for.
A level of self-awareness is needed for self reflection. In other words, if one is going to honestly engage in reflection, one must be vulnerable enough to recognize one’s own faults right alongside one’s strengths.
In an effort to gain perspective, it is often helpful to seek input from others. When reflecting, if we don’t trust ourselves to engage in an honest self-reflection, or if we fear that we won’t reflect from all angles, we can ask for feedback. When asking for feedback, have the self-awareness to recognize your tendency to react. You asked for the feedback, so take it.
George Couros writes about feedback by sharing the following in a weekly email: “The best way to deal with feedback is to ask for it before it’s given.” At the same time, he writes,: “As I was thinking about this email, one thing became clear: you don’t need to take feedback from everyone.
I intentionally seek feedback from mentors—people who have done the work I want to do or who live in ways I admire. What are they doing? What can I learn from them?
And here’s the kicker: the most important feedback you’ll ever get comes from the mirror.” John Maxwell shares the exact same sentiment in the podcast episode mentioned above.
As I continue to try to improve the self-reflection that I engage in, I am so grateful for the advice from these phenomenal leaders, including this final piece from Couros: “Whether in education or at home, I’ve come to value one trait above all in others and myself: being coachable. And by “coachable,” I don’t mean just hastily following advice—I mean being open to feedback and willing to grow, while staying rooted in your own sense of excellence and direction.”
Dr. Tina Boogren is another leader that offers terrific “take action” advice. In a recent Self Care for Educators podcast episode titled, “End Your Day with a Win,” Boogren encourages the practice of reflecting on small victories at the end of each work day. She suggests reflecting on the work day before leaving, and finding one small win, which is especially helpful on those tough days!
In an effort to take action on that reflection, Boogren encourages listeners to take the reflection one step further: find a place to write down the victory from the day. For me, the most sensible place is in my daily planner, where I list my appointments and my “to-do” lists. What a fun and satisfying addition to wrap up the work day: one quick note about a small (or big!) victory.