Most of conventional management literature has scoffed at notions of slow thinking, and instead popularized quick decision-making which is often reactive to situations. A lot of business leaders fall under this trap of being slaves to emails and round-the-clock meetings. However, several notable business leaders such as Warren Buffet, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have stayed free of this trend. They dedicate several hours each day to reading and slow reflection on matters. Such reflective thinking improves decision making, as people are then able to take in a sense of broader perspectives. It also helps safeguard personal developmental goals get a coherent view on corporate strategy and provide new perspectives. Some principles have been uncovered to ensure the art of reflective thought remains alive. First of all, specific time must be scheduled for such unstructured thinking as done by the CEO of LinkedIn. A set of questions may be drafted for careful reflection. Executive coaching has been proven to be an essential part of management training, so business leaders must avail the services of coaches as done in the Socratic Method. One must be extremely careful to stay clear of information overload. The business leader’s position should be that of a meta- solver. By this, the CEO needs to make sure that all issues get resolved to provide useful and productive solutions. So, the right questions need be addressed. He/she must also strive to be seen as a role model to the others.

Source:https://hbr.org/2017/09/how-to-regain-the-lost-art-of-reflection?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Uploaded Date:18 January 2018