Our clients work in complex, demanding and ever-changing environments. It might be managing a mental health unit or a law firm, leading two charities through a merger, running a new high-tech start-up or restructuring a nursing service. Taking time out to think about the work can seem impossible. Our clients understand that reflecting on the work can make all the difference to how successful they will be. It’s not just learning from what they have done –though that’s important. We offer our clients an opportunity to think about the work in the heat of the moment so that they can create clarity about what is happening, what is working and what they can do differently.
Our approach to reflective practice helps groups to make sense of their work. We provide the safe environment needed so they can have a more meaningful discussion. Teams understand each other better, challenge their assumptions and surface differences in values and perceptions. In doing so they build their collective capacity for creative thinking and can reframe problems that have previously felt complex and intractable. Learning becomes embedded in how they work, increasing their overall competence.
We help clients think about the impact of the wider system, and also about the nature of the work which can sometimes generate a particular anxiety in leaders and in staff. Rather than ignoring them, acknowledging the emotional aspects of challenging tasks and roles can make them more manageable. Using the process of reflective practice in this way can free up leaders and teams to feel more engaged and able to better tolerate the demands of the workplace.
We might run a one off reflective session to review a particular incident, issue or event or run a series of sessions to explore the ongoing complexities and demands of a particular role or team. Reflective practice can also be used to illuminate best practice or to understand what made a project was so successful. Sometimes it’s a regular long term support to a clinical service or a short programme to help a company through a major change. The time taken to pause and reflect can mean improved retention, better use of resources, enhanced performance, more effective project management and improved relationships within and across teams.
Relevant expertise
Make an enquiry