The end of another year is a good time to look back and reflect upon what has been achieved as well as what I have learnt. This reflective post caught my eye this morning. Nick reflects on his experiences of designing social learning in online environments for leadership development and provides a neat, alliterated summary of tips. He makes reflection look easy!
I suspect that really effective reflection, the kind that helps us arrive at conclusions and future plans, is a process we have to work at, something we improve through application. It involves taking time to revisit decisions and appraise our choices honestly. It can be difficult to confront mistakes, analyse our intentions and their outcomes. Time is often a scarce resource so incorporating opportunities for reflection can be a challenge but one that must be embraced. My experience also leads me to believe that a better depth of reflection comes from time away, space where we are free from the demands and challenges we face. Finally, conversations with others can be crucial in opening our eyes to alternative viewpoints and insights. Reflections can be distorted by our own narrative so we need others to hold their mirror to our work too.
And so I am off to hone my reflective techniques – this will involve a concerted effort, lots of scribbled notes and drawings. If you can contribute to my reflection do get in touch and who knows, maybe a plan will emerge?
Espace Sisyphe 