Getting Lost In The Noise

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

“‘The world we have created is a product of our way of thinking,’ said Einstein. Nothing will change in the future without fundamentally changing the way we think. This is the real work of leadership.” – Peter Senge

When was the last time you took quality time away to think and reflect? It is very easy to get lost in the noise of our day, work and life. That is why taking regular time to stop and reflect is a critical discipline of leadership. Without these regular times of reflection, it is difficult to keep our life and work in the right balance and perspective - for without the discipline of reflection we too often forget who we are, why we are here, and what we are to focus on and stand for.

Without reflection we forget what matters! Without reflection we fail to learn from our experiences and are prone to repeat mistakes. Without reflection we can easily fall victim to the overwhelming demands of life happening all around us.

Reflection is a relatively easy exercise. A leader needs to schedule regular time each week where they find some quite place, disengage, and consider whatever difficult situations or decisions they are facing - where they take ample time to process key questions, like the following….

What of significance happened this past week?
What results is your life currently producing?
What is working for you? What is not working for you?
What could be done differently?
What unhealthy assumptions are you currently making?
Are your key relationships more healthy or less healthy than last week?
How well are you focused, and making progress, toward your goals?
How are you limiting yourself?
What 3 things can you do to improve your leadership, life, and relationships this week?

**Schedule regular time each week to reflect on your leadership, life, purpose, and goals.