Integrating Purposeful Reflection and Performance
Integrating Purposeful Reflection and Performance
By Richard Monette, InnerWarrior consulting
You attend meetings, type frenetically on your Blackberry then return phone calls – you multitask your way through your day. You are an effective manager who gets things done! Or are you? If you are not taking time to engage in purposeful reflection, your whirlwind of activity may be nothing more than “Active Non-Action”.
Authors Heike Bruch and Sumantra Ghoshal spent 10 years observing the behaviors of managers in nearly a dozen large corporations. They concluded that “a mere 10 per cent of the managers we observed spent their time in a committed, purposeful and reflective manner” while the other per cent of managers “squander their time in all sorts of ineffective activities,” a state they labeled “Active Non-Action”.
The benefits of reflection
As you might have guessed, the 10 per cent of managers who took time to reflect gained great benefits. They were
more successful at engaging their teams, meeting their goals, and rejuvenating themselves. From my own experience as a performance coach, I add that leaders who reflect are more innovative and highly respected as teammates.
These benefits should not surprise anyone. When leaders slow down and reflect, even for a few minutes, they retreat to the core of their purpose; they re-engage with their strategic intention, then plan and act from a broader and aligned perspective. Here are three suggestions to help you integrate reflection into your busy day.
1. Be systematic
As Bruch and Ghoshal noted, many managers simply react impulsively to pressing matters. To avoid acting impulsively, complete this four-step thought sequence whenever you are required to make an executive decision:
I. Take the time to reflect upon the present situation in relationship to your strategic intentions.
II. Clearly state to yourself what you will do and why.
III. Act on your clear intentions.
IV. Gather feedback. In due time, collect tangible and intangible outcomes of your actions and then feed the knowledge you’ve captured back into another purposeful reflection, in effect re-activating the cycle.
By honouring this sequence you will realize that purposeful reflection can occur even within the few short minutes required to respond to a pressing matter.
2. Isolate and manage “Active N on-Action” traps
Instant communication devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) are useful tools. They can also become
“Active Non-Action” traps by constantly pulling managers into tactical and interpersonal crisis resolution mode. Plan your day to avoid such traps.
I. Always begin your day with a 10-minute meeting with yourself, during which you will reflect and identify your priorities.
II. Plan to respond to emails and phone messages at a specific time and only after you’ve completed your meeting with yourself.
III. C lose each day with a short ritual during which you will reflect on your ability to complete your activities in alignment with your strategic priorities and your purpose.
3. Incorporate physical activity into your routine (and carry a recorder)
Plan to walk or exercise everyday, even if it’s just 10 minutes. The simple act of disengaging from the high-level activities around you will provide the mental space required to reflect. If you have a chance, seek inspiration in nature. I find my creative inspiration by simply walking and looking up at the powerful mountain scenery in Banff, where I work. If you don’t work in the Canadian Rockies, don’t despair; one of my clients conceived a re-organization plan during a series of lunchtime walks in a city park. The activity allowed him to “come up with solutions without really thinking,” he said. He dictated into a recorder to capture his enlightened thinking.
Engaging in purposeful reflection is invaluable. It is a competency that all managers and leaders should strive to master for themselves – and for their organizations.
About the author:
Richard Monette’s talents span the disciplines of business, sport psychology, and education, all of which are connected by his ardent passion for improving human and organizational performance. He is a skillful coach, facilitator, and speaker with a diverse clientele, spanning from Olympic medalists and world champion athletes to corporate CEO. His company InnerWarrior consulting is based in Banff, Alberta.
1 B ruch & Ghoshal , “The Busy Manager” Harvard Business Review, February, 2002
Integrating Purposeful Reflection and Performance - To learn more about this author, visit Richard Monette's Website.
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Integrating Purposeful Reflection and Performance
By Richard Monette, InnerWarrior consulting
You attend meetings, type frenetically on your Blackberry then return phone calls – you multitask your way through your day. You are an effective manager who gets things done! Or are you? If you are not taking time to engage in purposeful reflection, your whirlwind of activity may be nothing more than “Active Non-Action”.
Authors Heike Bruch and Sumantra Ghoshal spent 10 years observing the behaviors of managers in nearly a dozen large corporations. They concluded that “a mere 10 per cent of the managers we observed spent their time in a committed, purposeful and reflective manner” while the other per cent of managers “squander their time in all sorts of ineffective activities,” a state they labeled “Active Non-Action”.
The benefits of reflection
As you might have guessed, the 10 per cent of managers who took time to reflect gained great benefits. They were
more successful at engaging their teams, meeting their goals, and rejuvenating themselves. From my own experience as a performance coach, I add that leaders who reflect are more innovative and highly respected as teammates.
These benefits should not surprise anyone. When leaders slow down and reflect, even for a few minutes, they retreat to the core of their purpose; they re-engage with their strategic intention, then plan and act from a broader and aligned perspective. Here are three suggestions to help you integrate reflection into your busy day.
1. Be systematic
As Bruch and Ghoshal noted, many managers simply react impulsively to pressing matters. To avoid acting impulsively, complete this four-step thought sequence whenever you are required to make an executive decision:
I. Take the time to reflect upon the present situation in relationship to your strategic intentions.
II. Clearly state to yourself what you will do and why.
III. Act on your clear intentions.
IV. Gather feedback. In due time, collect tangible and intangible outcomes of your actions and then feed the knowledge you’ve captured back into another purposeful reflection, in effect re-activating the cycle.
By honouring this sequence you will realize that purposeful reflection can occur even within the few short minutes required to respond to a pressing matter.
2. Isolate and manage “Active N on-Action” traps
Instant communication devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) are useful tools. They can also become
“Active Non-Action” traps by constantly pulling managers into tactical and interpersonal crisis resolution mode. Plan your day to avoid such traps.
I. Always begin your day with a 10-minute meeting with yourself, during which you will reflect and identify your priorities.
II. Plan to respond to emails and phone messages at a specific time and only after you’ve completed your meeting with yourself.
III. C lose each day with a short ritual during which you will reflect on your ability to complete your activities in alignment with your strategic priorities and your purpose.
3. Incorporate physical activity into your routine (and carry a recorder)
Plan to walk or exercise everyday, even if it’s just 10 minutes. The simple act of disengaging from the high-level activities around you will provide the mental space required to reflect. If you have a chance, seek inspiration in nature. I find my creative inspiration by simply walking and looking up at the powerful mountain scenery in Banff, where I work. If you don’t work in the Canadian Rockies, don’t despair; one of my clients conceived a re-organization plan during a series of lunchtime walks in a city park. The activity allowed him to “come up with solutions without really thinking,” he said. He dictated into a recorder to capture his enlightened thinking.
Engaging in purposeful reflection is invaluable. It is a competency that all managers and leaders should strive to master for themselves – and for their organizations.
About the author:
Richard Monette’s talents span the disciplines of business, sport psychology, and education, all of which are connected by his ardent passion for improving human and organizational performance. He is a skillful coach, facilitator, and speaker with a diverse clientele, spanning from Olympic medalists and world champion athletes to corporate CEO. His company InnerWarrior consulting is based in Banff, Alberta.
1 B ruch & Ghoshal , “The Busy Manager” Harvard Business Review, February, 2002
Integrating Purposeful Reflection and Performance - To learn more about this author, visit Richard Monette's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Dr. John OdaJohn Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website |
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 Richard Monette (Visit Richard's Website) Richard Monette's talents span the disciplines of business, sport psychology, and education, all of which are connected by his ardent passion for improving human and organizational performance. In his own quest to reach peak levels of performance, Richard has developed credible expertise in leading others on similar journeys. Richard is a skillful coach, facilitator and speaker with a diverse clientele, spanning from Olympic medallists and World champion athletes to corporate CEOs. This diversity speaks to the universal application of his strategies in teaching corporations and individuals to strive beyond the safe and familiar; to learn when challenge and risk are necessary and how to balance these with pragmatism. Most importantly, he helps his clients understand where their creativity lies and how to use it. Richard is also the author of “The Gift – A story about finding a better score in golf and life”ww w.innerwarrior.com/gift.html. The gift is an acclaimed and captivating golf metaphor for finding performance in business and life.
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