By Tom Sebastion, PIIC Regional Mentor Coordinator and Carol Adams, IU 22 PIIC Mentor

Much has been written about reflection and a variety of definitions and interpretations of its meaning abound.  In a paper written by Linda Finlay for The Open University (UK) titled, Reflecting on ‘Reflective Practice,’ it’s noted that: “The term ‘reflective practice’ carries multiple meanings that range from the idea of professionals engaging in solitary introspection to that of engaging in critical dialogue with others. Practitioners may embrace it occasionally in formal, explicit ways or use it more fluidly in ongoing, tacit ways. For some, reflective practice simply refers to adopting a thinking approach to practice. Others see it as self-indulgent navel gazing. For others still, it involves carefully structured and crafted approaches towards being reflective about one’s experiences in practice.”  Regardless of the definition one embraces, it’s evident that the process is linked to learning from our experiences and connecting theory with practice.

Reflection models developed by Shon, Kolb, Gibbs, John, Brookfield, and others define a variety of structured approaches to reflecting.    Although the models proposed by these researchers differ somewhat, they all recognize the importance of three fundamental processes which we in our practice often refer to as follows:

What? – Thinking back about an event/experience and objectively defining what occurred.

So What? - Evaluating, analyzing, and interpreting the data associated with that event/experience.

Now What? - Deciding how to address similar events/experiences in the future.

Let’s take a few moments to focus on how we enter into collaborative reflection.  As coaches, we model reflection. So, if our “being” is our “doing,” then how do we “be”?  How do we create reflective conversations in a way that clients explore their intentions and notice where their behavior or thoughts are not in alignment with their intentions?  Here are some practices to integrate within the PIIC BDA process.

• Be comfortable with silence:  Create space where silence is honored.  This takes practice.  Be silent together.  Allow silence within dialogue.  No need to rush in with a question that comes from your own or your client’s anxiety.  When we are comfortable with silence, we are cultivating our inner stillpoint—the space from which creative ideas emerge.
• Be aware of what is happening NOW: Give feedback that is specific and in the present moment.  A coach might mirror back the client’s exact wording when those words have been repeated or when they are said with strong emphasis (negative or positive).  “I hear you say…” or “I am struck by your use of the word…  What do you mean by that?”  Simply bringing awareness to the client creates an opening for insight.
• Be positive: Move away from problem-solution toward opening to possibilities.  Often clients see challenges as problems.  When we re-frame the way we talk about a situation and see it as an opportunity, we create a new well of positive energy that can be directed toward creating new exploratory practices.

When we are fully present, we create space for clients to notice patterns, assumptions and beliefs.  Awareness leads to reframing which leads to meaningful action.  As we develop practices to discover new insights, to reframe perspectives, and cultivate our stillpoint, we create sustainable practices of personal and professional growth.

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