Month: December 2022

Do you take time to reflect?

Do you take time to reflect?

Throughout the month of December, I have been partnering with various clients on end-of-year actives. Workshops to develop the sales team and off-sites to discuss tools to navigate our crazy, busy culture. For another client, we explored his end of year reflections of his leadership team.

It is a gift to be able to take time to reflect on 2022. What was the highlight of your year? What was your low point and why? What did you learn about your business? About yourself? What might you change as you begin a new year?

#WiseWords

Without reflection, we go blindly on our way.

Margaret J. Wheatley

Worth the Share

I searched for an article that would be worth sharing, and I found something from 2017. With the pandemic et al, I wasn’t sure if the content would still be relevant but was pleasantly surprised. The authors of How to Regain the Lost Art of Reflection, provide multiple ideas that are worth thinking about:

  • Schedule unstructured thinking time – many of my clients do this weekly, while the article quotes a CEO who blocks out a full day each week.
  • Get a coach – “The Socratic Method remains the most effective way to stimulate reflective thinking”. Personally, as a coach I firmly believe in the power of coaching, enough said.
  • Cultivate a list of questions which prompt reflective thought – the authors have a list of several including: “What do I not know about the industry and the company? What unique value can I add in my role as CEO?  What imprint do I wish to create as a leader on employees and other stakeholders?”
  • Protect yourself and your company from information overload – a great point, the authors wrote “the primary challenge is to ensure that excessive communication does not undermine productivity and prevent reflective thinking.” Do we sometimes over communicate unnecessarily?
  • Reimagine yourself as a meta-problem solver – this is a good point, IMHO. Using reflective thought to solve the problem, while not leaning into the tried and true. Why wasn’t the problem solved before it got to you?
  • Be a role-model for your employees – reflective time “should not be the privilege of the enlightened CEO” but should trickle down throughout the organization. Try it. Set aside some time this week and every week in Q1 2023 for reflective thinking and see how it works for you.


Read on to learn more.

And Finally...

Based on partnering with dozens of coaching clients, it seems that December has been an especially busy month, busier and more frantic than in previous years. In spite of the fact that the flu is racing through the country and COVID is still out there, we are not slowing down at all. It feels like we are moving at a fever pitch.

What can you do, between now and December 31 to give yourself some time to reflect on 2022? What do you choose to do to make a shift? Reach out anytime, if you would like to have a conversation.

In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very reflective and joyful holiday season.

Merry Christmas and all the best for a healthy, happy 2023. See you in January.

Mary Jo

To learn more about my 1:1 executive, communication or business growth coaching, custom virtual workshops, the Career Transition program or just to connect, you can reach me at info@mjrcac.com