Cultivating Reflective Practices in Professional Life

One of my coaching clients received a rude shock when, instead of a promotion, he received feedback that it did not look like he could create space for the more strategic work required at the next level. Are you always busy too? Do you have a choc a bloc calendar and compromise sleep or personal time for work? I often see professionals wearing the 'busy' badge with pride. They conflate busyness with importance and consider their productivity, efficiency, and capacity to work hard as their distinguishing factors. They glorify their long 'to-do lists'. Ticking things off the list motivates them. But here's the paradox: the most strategic, high-leverage work often looks like… nothing….sitting by the bay window and gazing out, type of nothing, for example - - Thinking - Planning - Visualizing - Ideating - Reflecting, etc. In fast-paced environments, this kind of work can feel indulgent or even wasteful. But it’s where clarity, direction, and decisions are born. When your default is doing, it's easy to confuse movement with progress. But when you're always responding, reacting, and executing, you risk forgetting to zoom out to consider what really matters. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 – You stay in a loop of urgency—busy but not strategic. You meet deadlines but just in time. You take on more work… without reflecting on whether it's the right work. Valuable opportunities pass by because there is no pause to see them. You repeat mistakes because there is no time to assimilate the lessons learnt. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨? Evaluate your day and reflect on what consumes most of your attention. Is that the best use of your time? Every time you say 'yes' to something, consider what you will say 'no' to, to make time for it. As you block time to think, plan, or reflect, and feel guilty for not "doing" — notice that. That discomfort is your action bias talking. If you lead others, normalize time for reflection by modeling it. Ask your team not just what they're doing, but what they're thinking about. When you start treating reflection, planning, and strategy as real work, you unlock the kind of impact that action alone can't deliver. You will consider the forest as you navigate through the trees. You will be able to anticipate and plan for the hillocks, ponds, or bad weather before you hit them. Your ability to envision, plan, and act will make you more effective and a sought-after leader. So, if you're stuck in constant motion and missing the space to think, it's time to slow down so you can claim your strategic edge. Let's talk about how you can create time to reflect, plan, and lead with clarity. Reach out for a conversation. Your future self will thank you.

Getting Better at Getting Better Encouraging call from a colleague today. He wanted to review a sales call. When I asked him what happened, he assured me it was all good. All good?  I’m usually asked to help debrief calls that don’t go as planned. John Dewey famously said, “We do not learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience.” This quote strikes at the heart of a crucial distinction in professional growth: it’s not just about how long you’ve been doing something, but how deeply you’ve thought about what you’ve done. Consider the difference between a salesperson having “ten years of experience” versus “one year of experience ten times.” On paper, they may look the same, but in practice, they’re worlds apart. Ten years of true experience means you’ve evolved, adapted, and improved with each year. You’ve reflected on past decisions, learned from successes and failures, and applied that wisdom to new situations. On the other hand, if you're merely repeating the same actions without reflection, you’re stuck in a loop—going through the motions without growth. Think hamster wheel! Reflection transforms experience into wisdom. It’s the process of asking critical questions: What went well? What could have been done differently? How have I grown from this? Without these moments of introspection, we risk stagnation, even as we accumulate more “experience.” In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to move from deal to deal without pausing. But reflection is essential for meaningful development in sales. It turns routine actions into learning opportunities and helps you break free from the cycle of repetition. Reflection ensures that each year of experience builds upon the last, creating a foundation for continuous improvement. So, the next time you wrap up a call or close a deal, take a moment to reflect.  It’s not just about the experience you’ve gained—it’s about what you’ve learned from it. Let’s keep the conversation going—what have you learned this week from your calls and deals? #Reflection #GettingBetter #Coaching #GrowthMindset CoachEm

Most of us aren't used to sitting with thoughts that don’t have quick solutions. Reflection, especially around careers, often brings up regret, comparison, or the fear of making the wrong move. That’s why we avoid it, not because we don’t care, but because it feels too much. But like anything else that’s good for us, it becomes easier with practice. Not comfortable, but familiar. The shift starts when you stop treating reflection as a performance, like you need to arrive at a perfect answer every time and instead treat it like a quiet check-in. Here’s what might help: 1/ Make it small ✍ You don’t need a journal, a retreat, or a perfect setting. You just need a few minutes. It can be while walking, sitting with your coffee, or during your commute. 2/ Lower the stakes⚡ You're not trying to solve your entire life. You’re just trying to notice what’s been feeling off, or what’s been feeling more alive than usual. 3/ Do it regularly, not reactively 🔅 Don’t wait until you’re burned out or lost. Build the habit when things are steady, too. That’s how you build comfort. Over time, your resistance goes down. Not because it’s easier, but because you stop expecting it to be easy. And that changes everything. ✨

Ever found yourself just going through the motions, ticking tasks off your list but unsure if you're really on the right track? You're definitely not alone. Just last week, on the Career Shifts Podcast, I spoke with Phani Pattamatta, who shared his unique approach to self-assessment, "Chintan Baithak," or what he calls a personal brainstorming session. Imagine this: sitting quietly in a corner, reflecting on the past year, jotting down your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), and setting clear "North Star" goals. Then pinning these goals on a soft board to keep them in view daily, which helps you stay aligned with your aspirations. Well, this is exactly what he did all these years. In many corporate settings, it's the season for annual appraisal conversations, where managers review our performance. Sometimes, their views differ significantly from our self-assessment. While organizations mandate these annual reviews, there’s a huge opportunity for us to adopt Chintan Baithak in our personal lives. Why consider integrating Chintan Baithak into your routine? Here are some compelling reasons I've discovered: ➡ Enhances Clarity and Focus Regular sessions help dispel the fog around your goals. By revisiting what you aim to achieve, you stay on a clear path and avoid drifting from your core objectives. ➡Promotes Accountability This reflective practice demands brutal honesty about your successes and failures. This level of honesty increases your accountability, urging you to own your progress and adjust as needed. ➡Facilitates Continuous Improvement Acknowledging what didn’t work isn't just about recognizing failures; it's about turning those insights into actionable steps. This fosters a habit of continuous self-improvement. ➡Helps Manage Stress Understanding what needs adjustment and having a plan reduces anxiety. When you're clear about your direction and next steps, the stress of uncertainty fades away. ➡Strengthens Decision-Making Regular Chintan Baithak sessions improve your ability to make decisions that are aligned with your long-term goals, based on a clear understanding of past outcomes and current objectives. As we navigate the season of annual reviews, why not apply a similar reflective approach to your own life? Like formal performance reviews, this practice can spotlight your growth areas and celebrate your achievements. The keys to benefiting from Chintan Baithak are consistency and absolute honesty with yourself, which I had also heard from my other mentor, Tarun Nallu. Trust me, the clarity that comes from this exercise is a game-changer! Also, don't forget to join me for the next episode of Career Shifts tomorrow, Wednesday, 15 May 24, at 7 PM IST, where I'll be speaking with Raja Krishnamoorthy (Kitty), an acclaimed actor & distinguished Talent & Organizational Development consultant. #SelfReflection #ChintanBaithak #careershifts

Self-reflection is an overlooked leadership practice. To a busy leader, taking time to reflect can seem like the least important task on a long to-do list. But self-reflection is a great way to invest in a clearer, more organized mind. Though I can’t carve out space for a meaningful self-reflection every day, I find natural “pause points” happen during the year that give me an opportunity to gather my thoughts. During a recent leadership discussion, a participant shared that journaling has been proven to deliver a remarkable return on investment, and I can’t echo that sentiment enough. I’ve been a consistent journaler since the age of 18, and taking the time to get thoughts out of my head and onto paper (tactile or digital) is key to letting myself process my thoughts. In fact, I experienced a perfect journaling moment recently while traveling through the Swiss Alps by train. Working out my thoughts on paper while the Alpine landscape flew by in the background helped me clear my mind and gain some new insights on recent experiences. Moments like these are especially important for leaders. Our minds can become backlogged with the many responsibilities, concerns, and communications that we juggle throughout each day. Reflection helps us to unload some of this baggage and clear space for new ideas. If you’re a business leader, don’t forget to make time for self-reflection. It offers the double value of clearing your mind and opening up the potential for valuable insights. For me, that’s an investment well worth making. #SelfReflection #Journaling #Leadership

Throughout your professional journey, you will often find yourself waiting on others. You might wait for someone to act, change, or even stop doing something. I kept pinging someone for an update but never heard back. I asked my team to innovate, but there was no enthusiasm. I requested a task update but saw no progress. I needed someone to investigate something, but they kept deprioritizing my request. A peer team kept asking me for details, even though I provided everything. Top-down requirements demanded actions irrelevant to my area. I explained my thoughts to my team, but they returned with the same questions. And the cycle continued. Is this frustrating? We keep churning, waiting for things to change. Maybe it is time to be the change. Could you ask the question: How Am I Adding to the Problem? What have I done so far? What have I not done? What could I have done differently to change the situation? Let’s start by looking in the mirror. Maybe my question was unclear. Maybe I asked the wrong question or to the wrong person. Maybe I did not provide enough clarity about the outcome. Perhaps I did not address the challenges of getting started. Maybe I was unclear on rewards and recognition. Perhaps I did not show the importance, or urgency. Maybe I assumed who should answer the question and how and when. Perhaps I did not demonstrate to my leadership what they needed to feel confident about my deliverables, so they kept asking for more work. Maybe I was not making my thoughts easy to understand. Perhaps what I presented was not the problem the other person wanted to address. Maybe they expected me to solve something different. Perhaps I did not provide guidance or examples of what I needed. Maybe the success criteria were unclear. There could be so many possibilities. When I step back and look in the mirror, asking, “How am I adding to the problem?” I see all these possibilities. Now I can do something about it. Self-reflection is the first step to improvement. I encourage you to ask yourself the same question. Reflect on your actions. By asking, “How am I adding to the problem?” and taking steps to address it, I become part of the solution. You can do the same. Reflect on your actions. Make positive changes. Lead by example. Your efforts will make a big difference. Till next time, Cheers, Amit #LeaderCircle #LeaderCircle911 #Leadership #LeadershipExcellence #LeadershipPrinciples #LeadershipMindset #SelfReflection #ContinuousImprovement #PersonalGrowth #Accountability #ProfessionalDevelopment #ProblemSolving #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #LeadByExample #MindsetShift #PositiveChange