Guaranteed to Optimize Your Leadership Effectiveness in Minutes a Day

Introducing Integrative Cycles of Learning

A watch with a minute and second hand. This powerful practice only takes 30 seconds before and after your interactions.
Photo by Agê Barros on Unsplash

First, why do you care?

We need to start with what goals or desired outcomes really touch our hearts
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash

Second, understand something about your brain

Autopilot image. We humans are on autopilot or habit mode a great majority of the time.
An alarm clock — we need to mindfully “wake up” many times a day in order to successfully change habits and patterns.
Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

The Integrative Cycle of Learning: Short cycles of Goal — Plan — Action — Reflection

An archer shooting an arrow at a target. What is our goal for each interaction we have?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Goal

A woman thinking about her plan to optimize her desired goals for the next interaction, both for herself and for others.
Photo by Paola Aguilar on Unsplash

Plan

A leader mindfully working with her direct report, both engaged and focused.
Photo by Authors, Clear Impact Consulting Group

Action

A man looking at his own reflection in a window. Regular cycles of action and reflection are required for building capacity.
Photo by Laurenz Kleinheider on Unsplash

Reflection

  • To what extent did you follow your Plan, and to what extent did you achieve your Goal?
  • What went well? Our brain has a negativity bias, and we tend to focus on what was less than optimal. We need to learn to “take in the good.” If others were more excited or engaged, or left with more of a sense of connection, really take that in. A few deep breaths, imagining what their experience was as they left the interaction.
  • How was what you did in alignment with your deeper values?
  • What could you have done differently? What can you learn for future interactions?
  • It’s important to make sure that the part of us doing the reflecting is our compassionate and curious inner observer, rather than our toxic inner critic. Taking a few long, slow, mindful breaths into our hearts greatly facilitates this.
  • In reflecting, be kind to yourself. Many of our habits and patterns were formed when we were very young, even before the age of 2. Be happy with small changes, over time.

Finally: Who is Reflecting?

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Building individual and organizational capacity through executive coaching, organizational/team effectiveness consulting and leadership development.

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Clear Impact Consulting Group

Building individual and organizational capacity through executive coaching, organizational/team effectiveness consulting and leadership development.