2024 Reflections: Are you Removing the “Leaves” for Clearer Reflections?

No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we see clearly.  Taoist Proverb

Reflection is a potent tool for leaders, especially when approaching the new year. Reflection is a powerful strategy for immense leadership growth.  It improves their ability to handle challenges, inspire their team, and drive the organization towards its goals. Here’s why reflection is vital:

1. Self-awareness: Reflecting on past actions and decisions helps leaders understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This self-awareness enables them to align their leadership style with the needs of the team and the organization.
2. Learning from experience: Reviewing past successes and failures allows leaders to glean valuable lessons. They can apply these insights to future decisions, avoiding past mistakes and building on what works.
3. Goal setting: Reflection helps in setting realistic and meaningful goals for the future. By understanding what has been achieved and what remains to be done, leaders can set clear, achievable objectives for the new year.
4. Strategic thinking: Reflecting on past strategies and their outcomes encourages strategic thinking. Leaders can better anticipate potential challenges and opportunities, allowing them to craft more effective strategies moving forward.
5. Emotional intelligence: Reflecting on interactions with team members and stakeholders enhances emotional intelligence. Leaders can better understand the impact of their words and actions, leading to more empathetic and effective communication.

What reflection allows you to see….

• How much you accomplished
• Situations that you survived
• Where you thrived
• People connections made
• Your energy management
• Value alignment or misalignment
• Planned goals that you accomplished
• Unexpected setbacks
• How much you’ve grown
• How much more you have to grow
• The benefits of leveraging your strengths
• Where you fit in with people and where you didn’t fit
• Your tolerance levels

What other insights are missing from this list?

Reflection over the happenings of the past year takes stillness, patience and openness. There is often this temptation to leave behind the past and to rush with excitement into the unknown of the new year. Failing to reflect can result in complications for 2025. It can cause you to repeat mistakes or hold yourself back out of fear. But many leaders will try to skip this step for a myriad of reasons. Let’s be honest, reflection takes work, time, openness and honesty. And taking a look back isn’t always the most pleasant in some cases. There are things that you would soon rather forget or would like to quickly move past. And there can be many reasons for this. But failure to face these “issues”, again will only stunt your growth in the long run.

Using the earlier analogy–if you want to see your reflection–let’s say in a pond —then you have to clean out all of the leaves and other debris blocking it. What are some types of leaves “aka issues” that can keep you from reflecting properly as a leader? If you’re unsure here is a list to get you started…..

1. Discontentment: Leaders may focus more on what’s lacking instead of objectively assessing their progress, leading to biased reflections.
2. Perfectionism: Striving for perfection can cause leaders to overlook incremental progress, undermining realistic evaluations.
3. Restlessness: Constantly seeking the next challenge can prevent leaders from pausing to contemplate past experiences and learn from them.
4. Impatience: Impatience can lead to hasty conclusions without thoroughly considering the insights gained from the past year.
5. Anxiety: Anxious thoughts can cloud judgment, making it difficult to reflect objectively and draw constructive lessons from the past.
6. Grudges and issues with others: Holding grudges can skew reflections by focusing on interpersonal issues rather than broader leadership lessons.
7. Feeling of failure: Leaders might dwell on failures, preventing a balanced view that includes successes and areas for growth.
8. Unmet expectations: Leaders focusing on unmet goals may overlook achievements and opportunities for future improvements.
9. Overestimation of achievement: Can make leaders overvalue their contribution and keep them from stepping up into their real potential.

What are some other potential issues that can be added? Please leave in the comment section below.

It’s crucial to address these issues to ensure a balanced and productive reflection process. Which of these issues may be blocking you from properly reflecting on the New Year. Be sure to write it down and write how it is likely hindering you. How do you plan on keeping these issues at bay?

With that issue addressed….. Now it’s time to start reflecting on the year. Feel free to go about this any way that brings you joy! You can create categories or just write a chronological list of your greatest accomplishments, lessons, etc.

This year I’m splitting things into categories— Greatest Wins, Biggest Lessons, Near Misses, Fun Moments, Pipeline push, Priceless Connections, etc.

Be sure to have just one more final celebration to close out the year. Nothing says a job well done than a final celebration for the year. Grab your favorite meal, get a pedicure, or attend a fun event. You deserve it! 

Also be sure to make REFLECTING a more regular practice if you don’t already. Many leaders wait to do it annually (I was guilty of that in the past) but doing it perhaps monthly or quarterly. Earlier reflection can add energy to your goal pursuit and allow you to course correct when needed. 

And if I haven’t told you before–CONGRATULATIONS on your accomplishments and making it to the threshold of a New Year! Your Best is yet to come!!!