The value of reflecting
Last week also saw me dusting off a file that my father had quietly filled throughout the first 3 decades of my life (he died suddenly aged 59, when I was 28). Inside are certificate, letters and other assorted papers all preserving tiny forgotten details for me to remember, laugh and cry over. From my Grade 1 ballet exam aged 6 which I scraped through, marked down because of ‘excessive skirt twirling’, to a badly scrawled declaration of love from the 7 year old boy down the road, to letters in verse penned by my father to me while I was away for long spells at boarding school. And pretty much every school report I’d ever received. I was taken aback to see how often ‘Helen could contribute more actively in class’, ‘Helen is too quiet’ and ‘Helen doesn’t speak up enough’ reverberated in teachers’ pithy feedback. I found myself wondering what the definition of a high-performing student was in those days; I clearly fell short by their standards yet to everyone’s surprise (and most of all, my own) I emerged with straight As at A-level. I took two big reflections from this absorbing and often emotional meander through my life file: firstly, that potential can easily fly under the radar when you look through a narrow lens and secondly (with a full heart here), that my father’s pride in and love for me shone through every treasured scrap of paper.
On the work front, last week I was looking through some of the post-workshop feedback from teams who have recently participated in my Time-Intelligent Team sessions. These are 2 hour, in-person (or hybrid) workshops that help teams to identify changes within their control that can help them work smarter not harder and have a more engaging, motivating experience of work. In other words, to get more done and to get more out of work. I was fascinated to see the following comments come up frequently: ‘it enabled us to step back and evaluate how we can really get the best out of ourselves as a team’, ‘it was so useful to hear [the team’s] perspectives on obstacles and efficiencies’, ‘we all thoroughly enjoyed the session’. ‘ These words underline for me how much people value the chance to reflect, post-deadline or on a regular basis, on how they’re working together, what they’re doing well and where the frustrations lie. People crave these opportunities to slow down and reap the learning, they don’t want to rush straight onto the next project or deadline. They also appreciate the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements; reflecting in this way together can build powerful team bonds and a strong, motivating sense of ‘we’re in this together’.
If your team is reeling from one deadline after another, or you want to help them be well-positioned for a stretching period ahead, or you’re wondering why there’s a high level of task or interpersonal friction undermining performance or retention, then take a look at the workshop details and pick a time here for us to chat. If you’d love some help but got no budget right now, click here to download my free guide to creating a Team Time Contract.
Racing ahead without making time for reflection means we miss out on the powerful insights that can help us shape a better tomorrow. And the act of reflecting itself can be transformative, enriching our experience and our relationships with others. So let's pause, reflect, celebrate, learn and
then move forwards.
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