Foster reflective thinking habits
Reeves, Torres and Hassan, in their article “How to Regain the Lost Art of Reflection” suggest these routines to foster reflective thinking habits:
Schedule and protect
Calendar unstructured thinking time for reflection and learning.
Get a coach
Leaders may find a trusted thinking partner who challenges them with questions, observations and insight as a stimulus for reflective thinking.
Cultivate a list of questions which prompt reflective thought
As the big questions, like what is the purpose of the company? What unique value can I bring to the firm as CEO? What behavior am I modeling to drive a healthy and effective culture?
Protect yourself and your people from information overload
Find time to think quietly and clear out the clutter of information that does not lead to purpose, results and impact.
Be a metaproblem-solver
Focus on and question the process for solving problems, including how we hear and evaluate ideas and the quality of questions we ask to refine our thinking.
Be a role model for employees
Practicing slow thinking as a senior leader can trickle down through the organization and create a culture of learning and deliberate, thoughtful decision-making.
