How does self-reflection work in practice?
- Pause: slow down and pay attention to what’s happening in your mind and body.
- Presence: be present in the moment and notice physical sensations or thoughts running through your mind.
- Connection: tune into what you’re feeling—whether it’s joy or irritation.
- Verbalization: reflect and put your thoughts and feelings into words.
These steps make self-reflection concrete and can lead to insights that transform behavior.
Self-reflection is essentially the observation of one’s thoughts and emotions and pondering their significance. For instance, you might feel a knot in your stomach and begin to explore its cause: what is this feeling? Is it a sign that something needs attention? It’s important to note that self-reflection doesn’t always lead to immediate action. Simply being aware of your emotions and reactions may be enough.
In the workplace, this might mean pausing to recognize your reactions during a meeting or team situation. Sometimes, this awareness alone can guide behavior, but it might also lead to concrete actions, such as discussing an issue with a manager or trying a new approach.
Why should you develop self-reflection in the workplace?
- 1. Improved efficiency: self-reflection helps identify opportunities and obstacles in work processes, leading to better collaboration and more effective use of people’s potential.
2. Enhanced well-being: when the phenomena in the work community—such as unequal participation or challenging emotions— reflection makes it easier to address them. Verbalizing issues facilitates their resolution, ultimately improving individual and collective well-being.
3. Stronger employer branding: an open and reflective work culture attracts top talents. A respectful atmosphere fosters employee commitment and can reduce employee turnover.
Reflection forms the foundation for everything: without it, we cannot identify phenomena or make conscious choices regarding them. For example, a team might face an unresolved challenge that remains unrecognized. Without awareness, the issue cannot be addressed.
The role of training in reflection
Reflection can be learned, but it requires time and guidance. Training programs that emphasize pausing, presence, and connection can help individuals and organizations adopt reflective practices.
In the workplace, self-reflection is not merely self-monitoring but a tool for achieving more sustainable work habits, better collaboration, and deeper well-being. It’s a skill that requires practice—but its benefits are far-reaching.
