The first step to practising good leadership is working on self-awareness and emotional intelligence, by taking time to look at ourselves critically but without judgment. This helps us be more empathic with others by understanding their reactions and emotions without prejudice and helps us recognise and respond to complex and ambiguous leadership situations.
Reflection is not only about looking inwards, it also helps hold up a mirror to show us how we are responding to the world around us. It enables us to draw meaning from our experiences and apply a higher awareness to how to manage ourselves in future experiences, creating a positive learning cycle that helps us develop leadership concretely through practice.
We practise this mindset to:
• Be aware of ourselves and of others.
• Explore and develop our values.
• Draw meaning out of past experiences.
• Understand how context affects our experience and perceptions.
• Reflect on our actions and the impact of our leadership inside and outside the Movement.
• Make sure we keep learning from our experiences and adapting our opinions.
• Analyse our mistakes and recognise our successes.
• Create positive self-care habits.
• Build resilience through reflective practice.
Have a go at the activity below to begin your journey with the reflective mindset!
