Introduction to Reflective Practice

It is an intentional reflection where time is set aside for the process

Reflection is geared toward your professional practice or leadership practice. In the case

of your leadership practice it involves doing some “inner work”

It is part of your learning journey as a life-long learner

It takes discipline and practice, and you will get better at it over time

It can improve your ability to lead yourself and in turn others

One definition suggests: “A reflective practice is one that provides the learner with a process,

framework or support tools for learning enhancement through reflection” (Evans, 2009, p.5).

3 modes for reflection:

Past (what happened?)

Present (what is happening?)

Future (what could happen?)

Example of three categories of methods:

Individual (journal writing, poetry, answering a set of reflection questions, using a

framework as a guide, going between the “balcony” and “dancefloor”, taking pictures

and reflecting on what you see, creating a collage or drawing)

Partnered (listening deeply, asking thoughtful questions, sharing observations)

Group (large group discussions, action learning teams, sharing circles)

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Reflection and Leadership Practice

Source for this page of the handout: West-Burnham, J. & Ireson, J., “Leadership Development and

Personal Effectiveness” National College for School Leadership, United Kingdom, www.ncls.org.uk. PDF booklet retrieved from http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5952/1/download%3Fid%3D17238%26filename%3Dleadership-development-and-personal-effectiveness.pdf

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Reflection helps us pause and offers a buffer zone for thinking deeply.

It encourages the “problem solving junkie” to slow down and survey the situation first

from a personal perspective and then from a wider perspective.

When there are seemingly no viable answers to our organizational and community issues,

or these problems and issues are deep and complex we benefit by slowing down to

reflect. When you cannot rely on your past experience, or your training and expertise to

resolve the issue and solve the problem reflection can help slow you down to gather more

information, check in with stakeholders, and look at the issue from another angle. The

results of your reflection can add more options to test out in a leadership challenge

(Heifetz, Grashow & Linsky , 2009; Scharmer, C.O., and Schon, 1983).

Another perspective offers why reflective practice is significant to leadership practice:

“The capacity to reflect relates directly to how effectively individuals can learn from their

personal experiences (Boud et al., 1985) and therefore reflection provides a meaningful

way for leaders to gain genuine understanding. According to Dewey (1933, p. 12), such

reflective thinking is distinct from other forms of thought because ``it involves (a) a

state of doubt, hesitation, perplexity, mental difficulty in which thinking originates,

and (2) an act of searching, hunting, inquiring to find material that will resolve the

doubt, to settle and dispose of the perplexity.'' The main objective for integrating

reflection in leadership development programs is to maximize individual potential by

allowing students to evaluate the significance of their experiences from a leadership

perspective.” (Densten &Gray, 2001-for sources quoted within quotation please see

article)

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A few Reflection Resources (will be posted on the Leadership Saskatoon website in the

password protected “participant resources” section)

Johari Window

De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats

Balcony and Dance Floor metaphor and questions

Gibb’s cyclical model for reflection after action

Sources:

Densten, I. & Gray J., (2001) “Leadership development and reflection: What is the

connection?” The International Journal of Education Management 15(3) p. 119-124. (available

online as pdf)

Evans, D. (2009). “Building Leadership Capital: reflective practice white paper. Melbourne,

Australia: DeakinPrime. (available online pdf)

Heifetz R. , Linsky, M. & A. Grashow, (2009). The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: tools and

tactics for changing your organization and the world. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.

Scharmer, C.O., ( 2009) Theory U: Leading from the future as it emerges. San Francisco:

Berrette Koehler Publishers

Schon, D.A., (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York:

Basic Books.

Handout compiled by Shannon Floer, Program Director, Leadership Saskatoon