Reflection As an Integral Component of Leadership Reflection

Reflection As an Integral Component of Leadership

Reflection – a Definition • . . . a process by which an individual thinks about something that he/she has done, analyzes whether or not that behavior was effective, and determines what factors contributed to the behaviors’s success or failure. • …learning from experience. • …to prepare to deal effectively with the future.

Reflection – a Definition • …a process by which an individual thinks about something that he/she has done, analyzes whether or not that behavior was effective, and determines what factors contributed to the behaviors’s success or failure. • …learning from experience. • …to prepare to deal effectively with the future.

Importance of Reflection • Only if quality time is devoted to it • An important element of effective training (e. g. , Ed. D academic) programs • Must be tied to the work that participants are engaged in • Opportunities to engage with others about their work • Need to understand rapidity and complexity of everyday events

Reflection as a Tool • A way for professionals to deal with complexities, uncertainties and value conflicts inherent in their jobs. • A tool to review past actions for confirmation, validation, or redirection

Individual Reflection • Journal writing as a means of establishing a conscious inner dialogue • Requires time and discipline • Freewriting – writing whatever comes to mind without stopping or editing - get it out to make sense of it • Looping – examining issues from different angles – “other person’s shoes” • Case Record – capture it to study it

Factors Contributing to Effective Reflection • Time to reflect; • A structure or vehicle to reflect; • Physical, psychological, and/or emotional distance from the situation that is the target of the reflection

Summary • Reflection requires time and means to thoughtfully consider past or current actions in relation to new learning. • If reflection is to have real impact on human behavior, it must occur as a conscious inner dialogue. • The individual must have distance from the press of everyday events • Reflection must include proposed action (what does mean to me and what do I do? )

References • Roberts, Laraine. (1997) Taking Stock of Yourself as an Instructional Leader – California School Leadership Academy, pp. 39 -48 • Schon, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. Pp. 45 -47