Drop Everything And…Reflect

Guest article by Kevin Eikenberry, author of Remarkable Leadership

My kids were both involved in school programs called DEAR – Drop Everything and Read. The idea was to carve out a time in the day as reading time. I love the idea, the goal, and reading. As much as I believe we grow and develop individually and collectively by strengthening our reading habit, I think there is another R that we could replace reading with for equal or greater impact.

I suggest, as the title says, that we create a different kind of DEAR time each day – Drop Everything and Reflect. To make this happen we must shut down the browser, minimize our blog reader, turn off twitter, close email, put away the cell phone, switch off the TV, and unplug our headphones from our iPod.

To reflect requires thought time; time to think, ask questions, and perhaps write the results. Reflection can be done alone, of course, it can be done at the dinner table, or on a walk. It can be done as a reflection on our personal lives or our business lives. To that point, consider the value of DEAR time at work. What if everyone on your team practiced DEAR time for just 15 minutes each day?

It would take discipline to institute that at work, but no more so than in your personal life. Imagine the results that might accrue: new ideas generated, mistakes and missteps analyzed, next steps on projects reassessed, greater energy achieved. And this is just a starting point.

The best way to make this happen at work is if you are doing it for yourself. It is far more powerful with a greater chance of success to suggest something as a successful role model rather than as “I read this great idea – let’s try it.”

So while the idea of doing this at work is compelling, don’t start there.

Start with you. Start with doing it.

Drop everything and reflect (right now).

Ask yourself any questions that work for you. If you don’t know where to start, use these questions to get yourself going.

• • What is working?
  • What could I do differently in that situation next time?
  • What would make it better?
  • What role did I play in that situation/project meeting?
  • What might lead to greater success?
  • What will I do next time?

These are just suggestions – feel free to modify and create your own questions for your situation. While the questions are suggestions, the advice to create DEAR time is much more urgent, much more important.

DEAR time might be the most valuable habit you can create to support your learning and growth.

Do it now – Drop Everything and Reflect.

Kevin Eikenberry is the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group – a learning consulting company. He is also the author of Remarkable Leadership – Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time. You can learn more about the book, and take advantage of an amazing offer – whether you have a copy of the book or not, by going here. You can also read his Remarkable Leadership Blog at http://remarkableleadership.wordpress.com