Feel the Fear and Do It anyway! Principles of Reflective Practice.

By Guest Writer Janic Gorayeb 

Founder & Creative Curator of Ripple Effect Leadership www.rippleeffectleadership.ca

The concept of self-reflection (aka the reflective practice) was a concept I first learned about at Royal Roads University during my leadership graduate studies. There was a strong focus on leading self and personal leadership. We were introduced to the work of Ronald R. Short, author of “Learning in Relationship.” Our assignment was to ask three colleagues the following question: “What is one area I can improve on?” My only response permitted was to say “thank you” – reflect, write about the experience and learn from it. Eeeeep! Seriously? This is a very common response to such a task because we feel vulnerable during the process. 

What is Reflective Practice?

Skills of self reflection concern slowing down our own thinking processes to become more aware of how we form our mental models and the ways that influence our actions. Learning from the inside out requires the courage to be your authentic self. This may be difficult to follow-through on a daily basis, yet the goal is to keep trying and learn from mistakes, situations and challenges.

Leading from the Outside vs. Leading from the Inside

To live and work from the inside out, means to be aware of the internal reactions that drive your responses to the outside world. Here are some examples:

Benefits of Reflective Practice