Executive Reflection is a new style of leadership that can help us wisely adapt, evolve and transform not only by discovering yourself but also discovering new insights for yourself but also for your teams and organisations to navigate the past and co-create the future for the good of all.
In episode 1, hear from Executive Coaches, Jackie Arnold and Elaine Patterson as they explain the issues facing global leaders today and identify ways to successfully run organisations via both global and virtual platforms through the art of reflective practice.
Hear why we have an ethical duty to allow ourselves and the people we work with to step into this reflective space.
Episode Highlights:
“Why now for a new leadership style? Well I think it was Dr Spock in Star Trek, who said “It’s life Jim, but not as we know it”. With COVID and Brexit and the climate emergency and the inequalities of income and opportunity, we’re in a perfect storm. Whether we realise it or not, we’re being forever changed and we’re also changing ourselves.” – Elaine Patterson – 1:00
“In our own research that we did with Dr Alison Hodge, we found that leaders were consistently reporting that they felt overwhelmed, they felt lonely, they felt lost and really appreciated the safe, confidential spaces that our practitioners were able to offer them to actually think through the problems they were facing” – Elaine Patterson – 2:31
“Through a range of powerful reflective processes which we start to describe in our book, leaders can discover for themselves how to wisely adapt, evolve and transform not only themselves but also their teams and their organisations to both navigate the present and co create new futures for the good of all. So what we were starting to try to feel our way into is that Executive Reflection is our port in a perfect storm. And the beauty of this is that it is not actually rocket science, and it might seem simple and straight forward, but it is not easy because it is an ongoing practice and a way of being as a leader is as important as what a leader does. ” – Elaine Patterson – 5:34
“Reflection really helps the leader and their teams to create the really positive, constructive relationships so that we can perceive and hear and see what is actually wanting to emerge when we allow ourselves not to know. And when we can step away from the noise which is all around us, and again, critically as leaders helping others to do the same, this is a huge act of courage.” – Elaine Patterson – 10:21
“I think it’s really interesting that you said that people called the space we offered an “oasis” – it was this sanctuary, it was such a rare gift for leaders to give themselves in order to hear themselves think and reflect. And it made huge differences to their ability to lead and learn and co create with their teams.” – Elaine Patterson – 12:33
“Reflection is a personal responsibility that we have. It’s, I believe, an ethical duty when we work with people and we’re leading organisations to step into this reflective space” Elaine Patterson – 13:29
“Leadership can be lonely work, and it’s really important that leaders build up their own support network of critical friends, of coaches of executive reflection practitioners, of supervisors and develop a whole range of access of inspiration” Elaine Patterson – 16:33
Links & references:
- Read the literature:: https://bit.ly/executivereflection
- Read Elaine’s book “Reflect to Create!”: https://bit.ly/reflecttocreate
- Learning about Jackie: https://coach4executives.com/
- Learning about Elaine: https://www.elainepattersonexecutivecoaching.com/
- Research with Dr Alison Hodge: https://bit.ly/3g0ik7w