A brief article to help develop the use of Reflection as a powerful way to develop our practice

1. Reflective questions
Why use reflection?
The use of reflection presents some of the most powerful learning opportunities by
developing our thinking abilities. Its potency is in how it exercises multiple skills to embed
learning. Skills that promote success include critical thinking, taking personal
responsibility, learning from failure, & adaptability. Regular, supportive reflection has been
found to enhance focus, decrease stress & even improve physical health.
Tips for reflection:
Reflection is all about analysing & better understanding our thoughts, behaviours &
actions. Keep the following in mind to develop a heightened awareness of yourself &
others:
Be honest with yourself
Keep track of patterns in your thoughts & actions with a reflection journal
Identify your core values & beliefs
Forgive yourself when you make mistakes
Asking the right debrief questions: Consider a typical debrief - we reflect on all aspects
including the process, the choices taken & discoveries that were made. We also consider
what didn't go quite as expected. It's when we piece these all together into a learning
experience (including the "Aha!" moments) that reflective learning becomes real.

2. As you work your way down the list, take the time to consider each question
carefully. Expand on your answers as much as possible — you may discover
something new about yourself & others!
1. When were you at your best in this situation?
2. Now that you have been working in this situation, what are your first thoughts? Are
they mostly positive or negative?
3. If positive, what comes to mind specifically? Negative?
4. What were some of the most interesting discoveries you made? About working in
this kind of situation? About yourself? About others?
5. What were some of your most challenging moments & what made them so?
6. What were some of your most powerful learning moments & what made them so?
7. What is the most important thing you learned personally?
8. What particular technique or approach did you take & how did you use this?
9. What other methods did you consider, or use?
10.How do you feel your approach might be used again in other situations?
11.What most got in the way of your progress, if anything?
12.How well did you & the team communicate overall?
13.Describe when your communications fell short of the teams’ expectations?
14.What were some things the team did that helped you to learn or overcome
obstacles?
15.How did you help others during this process? How do you feel you may have
hindered others?
16.Were your milestones & goals mostly met, & how much did you deviate from them?
17.What did you learn were your greatest strengths & your biggest areas for
improvement?
18.What would you do differently if you were to approach a similar situation again?
19.What moments were you most proud of?
20.Could you help someone else facing a similar situation from what you have
learned?
21.What could you do differently the next time you face a similar situation?
22.What's the one thing about yourself you would like to work to improve?
23.How could you better support & encourage the team in the future?
24.How will you use what you've learned in the future?

3. Reflective questions about goals:
Questions to reflect on the past:
1. Have you accomplished at least one of the goals you agreed to achieve this year?
2. Do you have any unfinished goals or work? If yes, why?
3. Did you take the time to plan how you would achieve your goals?
4. How could you have better helped others accomplish their goals?
5. Did you have the time & resources needed to accomplish your goals?
Questions to prepare for the future:
1. How can you measure the progress, timescales & success of your goals?
2. How can you create a set of goals that have clear, definable results?
3. Do you have goal deadlines? If yes, are they both realistic & motivating?
4. How will you react if you don’t achieve your goals in the next 12 months?
5. What can you do to motivate yourself to accomplish your goals?
Reflective questions about work-life balance:
Questions to reflect on the past:
1. In the past year, did you regularly fall behind on sleep, free time or your personal
life as a result of your work?
2. Would you be pleased with the way you performed at work this year if you were
your manager?
3. What did you do to maintain a work-life balance this year?
4. Did you reach the career milestones or goals you wanted to this year? If no, why
not?
5. Over the past year, did you make every effort to work together with & get along with
the rest of the team?
Questions to prepare for the future:
1. What are three realistic career goals you can set for yourself this coming year?
2. If you want a promotion or pay increase, what can you do to earn this?
3. Are you in the job or on the career path that is truly right for you? If no, what can be
done to improve this?
4. What can you do to go above & beyond your job description this year?
5. What can you do to improve your working efficiency (including working at home)?