Taking the time each day to reflect on the past. Events, meetings, outcomes, discussions, emotions, reactions, triggers, feedback, virtually anything.
For example—
Your last interview
Your last (in person or virtual) meeting or an earlier meeting
Your last lunch meeting
Your last small OR big mistake
Your last small OR big success
The last 1 – 3 months in your current role
Why you left your last job?
Why you were promoted into your new role?
Why you were not promoted?
Your last performance review – what was said? What wasn’t said?
Peer or colleague feedback?
Coach or mentor feedback?
Anonymous feedback from your team?
I’ve been teaching a Certified Agile Leadership class for a number of years and one of the common themes in the class is our role in generating feedback for ourselves.
While we may get some direct feedback, I’d argue that we don’t get enough of it. So, we have to self-generate feedback based on what we are getting as well as our powers of observation and reflection.
I’ve found that taking regular time (daily) for journaling and reflection is a key to my success as an agile leader, coach, and person. It creates space for me to consider:
What I’ve been told
What I’ve sensed
What I’ve observed
What I’ve felt emotionally and in the emotional field
What hasn’t been said
From a WIDE variety of sources and experiences and pull it together into a coherent feedback story that I can understand and take action on.
I’d challenge you to become a feedback sponge. Someone who is constantly seeking it, gathering it, and reflecting upon it.
So, please, reflect on this article and share your thoughts.
Stay agile my friends,
Bob.
BTW: Here’s a nice article on how to get started in journaling - https://www.agile-moose.com/blog/2019/6/23/journaling-how-to-get-started