Personal and professional growth starts with self-reflection. Good leaders take the time to understand their strengths and weaknesses, reflect on their experiences, and determine their values.
According to LinkedIn, the benefits of self-reflection for leaders are:
- Strategic thinking
- Self-awareness
- Nurturing empathy and relationships
- Learning and growth
- Enhanced decision-making
But what exactly does self-reflection look like?
Making time for self-reflection may seem awkward at first (especially if you are an extrovert), but it’s worth it to take the time. Here’s how that might look.
Let’s use the example of the behavior “impatience.” You’ve gotten feedback from others that you tend to be impatient with people who don’t think and speak at the same pace as you. You know this about yourself and even, on occasion, cut someone off by saying, “just get to the bottom line.”
Next, you have to take the time to look inside and ask yourself why you react that way, how it impacts those around you, and what you can do to change the behavior. Self-reflection means being vulnerable, being willing to admit the behaviors that are working against you, and clarifying a plan to move beyond the behavior.
Self-reflection is also a way to ensure that you are living and working according to your values and what you want to achieve. It’s a way to level set if you’ve gotten off course.
Here are 10 questions as a starting point for self-reflection:
- Am I using my time wisely?
- Am I taking anything for granted?
- Am I employing a healthy perspective?
- Am I living true to myself?
- Am I waking up in the morning ready to take on the day?
- Am I thinking negative thoughts before I fall asleep?
- Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?
- Am I taking care of myself physically?
- Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?
- Am I achieving the goals that I’ve set for myself?
Sometime this week, grab your favorite beverage and set aside some time to reflect on a behavior you want to change or to just do a general reset. Take a pause that refreshes you.
With the Keep It Real™ Leadership program, you could get the right coaching to help you through your self-reflection process! Keep It Real™ Leadership is a human-centered program that nurtures leaders to become more self-aware, embrace their strengths, and deliver in their business leaders. Together we can take your leadership journey to the next level!
Till the next time, keep it real.
Karen
