The Power of Reflection

“It felt wrong at the time and I should have addressed it then.”
This is probably the most common feedback we hear from clients when it comes to reflection. Leadership intuition is a critical competency that leaders can develop.If something does not feel right, the source of the discomfort needs to be identified, and generally, the discomfort may be a result of the following:

1. Leadership growth –Stretching and growing pains are part of becoming a better leader. As the organization journeys into new and unfamiliar territory to realize its vision, leaders will encounter new challenges associated with growth. Many team members, including the leader, are unsure about how to address these new challenges. This discomfort is normal and part of growing individually and organizationally. Embrace the purposeful challenge as a normal response to growing.

2. A perceived violation of your core identity – From your perspective, your organization is not honoring what it can look like when at its best. It is human nature, for the sake of one’s safety and security, to test the boundaries of what is acceptable behavior. Out-of-bounds behavior is going to happen until there is a consensus on what your organization looks like when performing at its best. Again, it is just your perception so be careful. Do you perceive one of your guiding principles is being violated? Is an initiative taking the organization off its vision path?

It is the responsibility of leadership to ensure that organizations are aligned and working together in the best  way they can in service of their shared vision. Discomfort provides an opportunity for leaders and team members to learn and grow. Capitalize upon this opportunity, even if the source of discomfort is not clear. Reference your Core Identity of Vision, Purpose and Guiding Principles and ask “I feel discomfort in what just happened, does anyone else feel the same? Are we straying from our Core Identity, or is this just a new challenge on our Vision journey?

Effective course correction is best when the distance traveled is short. Address these intuitive feelings of discomfort ASAP. You will grow faster as a leader and your organization will be more aligned as you move toward your vision. And you will be building your leadership intuition.