Become A Reflective Leader
Written by: Helen Martin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Become a reflective leader and radiate a positive AURA
Reflection is one of the most underestimated, yet powerful activities that you can gift yourself. It’s a brilliant way to become aware of what drives you, what and who triggers you, and what your standard responses and ‘bad habits’ may be. It can help you on your way to self-awareness and eventually self-care.
There is a reason why we say ‘old habits die hard’; we don’t really want to change. We may think that we do, but our brain doesn’t! Any form of change and unlearning is uncomfortable and slows down our brain’s response rate, and since our brain is built for speed, it will resist any form of change.
But, without change, you stay stuck in old patterns and you will get the same result. By reflecting, you can understand where your ‘programmed responses’ stem from. This information can help you to take a more emotionally intelligent stance in your next encounter.
Today I’m sharing my own approach to reflection, AURA. The definition of an aura is a feeling or particular quality that is very noticeable and seems to surround a person or place. She always has an aura of confidence. (Oxford dictionary). Who wouldn’t like to radiate a wonderful AURA that people positively remember?
AWARENESS
Objectively describe what happened.
Who said what?
How did the situation make you feel?
UNLEARNING
How would you normally act or react in this situation?
What have you learned about yourself from the situation?
RELEARNING
How could you do things differently next time, to get a different reaction, in a similar situation? (Don’t use the word ‘better’ as ‘better in whose eyes?’)
APPLICATION
What choices do you have for the next time you encounter the same or similar situation?
What do you intend to do differently based on your reflection?
The AURA Approach to Reflection – Helen Martin (2018).
Ask yourself ‘what happened in a situation and ‘what you could have done differently? Get in touch with your feelings. How did the situation make you feel? Does a specific person ‘bring out the worst in you? You’d be surprised just how quickly you can start making small tweaks to your actions that have massive impact.
By learning to slow down, and reflecting with the AURA approach, you will start to understand where your natural responses take you, so that you can apply what you have learned about yourself the next time you are in a similar situation. Don’t however get frustrated. Change is not easy and the neural pathways in our brains are built for speed so your brain will want to take the road most travelled.
Helen Martin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Helen Martin became a coach and trainer to support today’s managers as they develop into tomorrow’s transformational leaders. Helen has lived and worked in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the U.K, reporting to the boards of well-known professional and financial services firms and IT & technology companies. Her 30-year career, MSc in coaching and behavioural change and, certification as a business psychologist inform how she coaches, trains and, supports her clients. Helen encourages managers to develop themselves so that they leave behind a management legacy that they can be proud of.
