Self-Reflection, a Tool for Transformation

Author and psychologist Richard Carlson once said, “reflection is one of the most underused yet powerful tools for success.”

This is unfortunate, considering self-reflection also is a precursor for positive change. When people feel “stuck”, self-reflection gives them an opportunity to push pause, take a step back, and gain perspective on what matters most and why. For example, do you really want that promotion, or deep down do you crave a new career entirely but are afraid to take the leap?    

On a personal level, reflection helps people understand how their thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors influence their life situations, and make choices that are better aligned with their vision, values, and goals. In the workplace, reflection can help leaders and teams improve interpersonal dynamics, achieve higher levels of performance, and develop resilience during periods of change and disruption.

Reflection also serves as a preventative measure, helping individuals and organizations avoid repeating costly mistakes and get clear on how to achieve strategy and goals. “Without reflection,” says author and speaker Margaret J. Wheatley, “we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences and failing to achieve anything useful.”

With so many benefits, why then is self-reflection underutilized both at work and at home?

For one, reflection requires dedicated time and effort. For many people, the idea of adding another item to their list of to-dos prevents them from pushing pause so they can do the deep thinking required. Reflection also makes things personal. It requires a willingness to look at the ways in which your attitude and actions led to the collective current state. Confronting the past to understand the present can be painful, which is why many avoid the process altogether.

Push Pause and Prepare for Change

As a change management consultant and coach, I teach people how to think about, plan for, and lead change initiatives in the workplace. The approach is both practical and process-driven, equipping people with the knowledge and skills to effectively define, design, and deploy organizational change. But it also leans heavily into the science that links health and well-being with individual performance.

Every engagement starts with an assessment that asks the client to list their strengths, opportunities, and values, and to rate their overall health and well-being (complete this free well-being tool to see how you’re doing). While this may seem an odd first step for change management training and coaching, the insights from this self-reflection activity serves as the foundation for their professional growth and transformation.

Here’s why: when people are busy or stressed out, they are not ready or able to change. They are operating with limited margin, which makes it difficult take on more of anything, including positive things like learning new skills and professional development.

Imagine a kitchen cupboard full of pots, pans, platters, and bowls. With so much stuff jammed in, we can’t see what we have right in front of us, or easily access what we need when we need it. The process of self-reflection is like opening the cupboard, pulling everything out, and only putting back in the items we truly value and need.

Reflection is essential to growth and professional development because it helps people become more self-aware and remove mental clutter. This in turn enables them to think more clearly, process new information more effectively, and find answers to questions they previously could not see. When people operate from this space, they can welcome new ways of thinking and behaving, and tap into the strengths and skills needed to experience or deliver positive, lasting change.

In the next newsletter / blog post, we'll provide tips and strategies for getting started with self-reflection as a tool for individual and organizational transformation.