Laura Keith and Madeleine Jenness look at how re� ective practice is increasingly being used as a tool to improve both employee and organisational success

REFLECTION:A TOOL FOR SUCCESS

KEY POINTSWHAT IS THE ISSUE? Refl ective practice is a powerful professional development tool, enabling you to stay at the top of your fi eld. Well established in other fi elds, it is now gathering momentum in STEP-related professions for learning and development, and continuing professional development (CPD).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME? By not refl ecting, development opportunities are lost. Refl ection builds confi dence and capacity, helps overcome challenges, and maximises CPD to transformative e� ect.

WHAT CAN I TAKE AWAY? An overview of how organisations are approaching refl ective practice, and tips to use in the workplace.

WHY DOES YOUR ORGANISATION VALUE REFLECTION? ‘We place great importance on encouraging refl ective practice. Time and time again, research demonstrates a positive relationship between professionals who engage in refl ective practice and those who experience positive and successful outcomes for themselves. Our experience shows that it enables our lawyers to reach their goals more quickly, and helps to consolidate their learning and integrate the benefi ts into everyday life’Michelmores

The responses received to this question highlight how refl ective practice enables sta� to grow, improving teamwork and organisational cohesion. Investment in sta� development has increased engagement, with sta� motivated to be proactive in seeking ways to work smarter. An enriched organisational culture, in which self-awareness, knowledge-sharing and collaboration are championed, benefi ts both clients and employees.

Time to refl ect can seem like something of a luxury – but let’s take the opportunity to do so now. What helped you get where

you are today? Years spent studying and training, experience and technical expertise gained in your career, wisdom and advice gleaned from others, and lessons learnt from your successes and failures. These individual strands are what make you authentic at work and infl uence your career brand, but how often do you consider how they shape your actions day to day?

‘Refl ective practice is deemed an essential skill for future practitioners to learn and perform and provides the framework for transferring and applying learning (theory) into di� erent practical scenarios.’1

A refl ective mindset is one of the most powerful tools you can use at work. Developed by John Dewey in the 1930s, refl ective practice is the process of actively and continually considering and applying prior learning, theory and knowledge to build professional competence or personal development. Becoming a refl ective practitioner2 gives a framework of ‘refl ection

in action’ and ‘refl ection on action’ for how individuals utilise their knowledge base and apply experience. Refl ection has been well embedded in the training and continuing professional development (CPD) requirements of the education, social work and medical sectors. Although the legal and accountancy professions have been slower to adopt refl ection, it is now gathering momentum in these fi elds, as illustrated by its inclusion in the CPD policies of STEP, the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Research illustrates that businesses adopting a refl ective mindset are more responsive to industry changes, and therefore retain a competitive edge.3

For STEP’s Employer Partnership Programme, evidence of a refl ective culture is expected of those aspiring to reach Platinum Employer Partner (PEP) accreditation, the highest level awarded to organisations that demonstrate excellence in developing their STEP members. We asked our PEPs to give us some insight on their refl ective practice and how it empowers their business.

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FEATURESREFLECTIVE PRACTICE

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HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE A REFLECTIVE CULTURE AMONG YOUR WORKFORCE? ‘Time in team meetings to share core lessons from training and the individual’s refl ection on training; encouraging sta� networking with partner and same-sector organisations; and incorporating company literature, reports and research documents into shared o� ce resources (i.e. company intranet). Every employee specialist is encouraged to share their knowledge, through formal or informal training.

‘We encourage a refl ective culture by bringing these everyday practices to life, so people refl ect day-in and day-out, without even realising that they are doing it’Stonehage Fleming

Successful refl ective cultures exist where there is management buy-in. Refl ection on performance during the year is part of the appraisal process. Well-considered sta� development programmes and access to good-quality materials are essential. Mentoring programmes are used to provide regular opportunities for refl ection and consolidating learning.

Some of our PEPs use career development workshops, focusing on emotional intelligence, personal impact, and mindful and conscious leadership. Others have invested in high-quality learning management systems and resources. Asking employees to refl ect as part of sta� surveys can provide valuable insight to take the business forward, and learning management systems and materials are important. Sta� are encouraged to deliver training courses on lessons learnt at conferences or courses undertaken, resulting in resources that are shared and saved centrally with the organisation.

HOW DO YOU EMBED REFLECTION IN THE WORKPLACE? ‘We have a coaching culture, whereby sta� are encouraged to think through matters themselves, and management provides hints and prompts to encourage deeper refl ection and provide feedback on refl ection’ Saff ery Champness, Registered Fiduciaries (Guernsey)

STEP’s PEPs have witnessed greatest success where refl ection is aligned with organisational values and strategic goals. This creates a culture in which refl ection is part of a shared set of values between individual and organisation. By building refl ective practice into learning and development processes, with transparent appraisal and reward programmes, sta� are empowered to drive their self-development. Some fi rms use mentoring as a space to enable structured refl ection; others have used activities such as team meetings or post-course evaluation surveys as alternative media.

Putting individuals in charge of their own learning and development is key. Several organisations described their sta� as the protagonists in their own ‘learning stories’ as they develop. One partner noted how their organisation encouraged ‘regular discussions and storytelling. To tell a story, you need to refl ect on what aspects of the story are important and are going to excite and resonate with others, and consider if there is a “moral” to help with future decision-making.’

WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU NOTICED SINCE CREATING A REFLECTIVE CULTURE?‘The main benefi t of this culture is sharing experiences and refl ective learning, whether this is an individual sharing with their team, or sharing to a wider organisation audience through our Training Academy’ Blackadders

Our PEPs have noticed the following signifi cant benefi ts from refl ection:� fresh and innovative approaches

to problem-solving; � improved communication;� increased knowledge-sharing

and collaboration;� enhanced motivation and engagement;� an increase in instinctive refl ection and

innovative approaches to learning;� individuals seeing the link between refl ection

and personal and organisational success; and� increased uptake in mentoring programmes.

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WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU NOTICED SINCE CREATING A REFLECTIVE CULTURE?‘The main benefi t of this culture is sharing experiences and refl ective learning, whether this is an individual sharing with their team, or sharing to a wider organisation audience through our Training Academy’

Our PEPs have noticed the following signifi cant benefi ts from refl ection:

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improved communication;increased knowledge-sharing

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WHAT BENEFITS HAVE YOU NOTICED

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Refl ection has been at the heart of STEP’s CPD Policy since 2014. STEP’s CPD resources are designed to stimulate refl ection and underpin the mandatory refl ection expected in its annual CPD audit. Courses available through STEP, such as Be Bold in Your Career (www.step.org/be-bold-your-career), o� er a chance for members to refl ect as part of a structured programme. The management expert Peter F Drucker notes that one should: ‘Follow e� ective action with quiet refl ection. From quiet refl ection will come even more e� ective action.’4

For STEP’s PEPs, refl ection is a treasured tool in their learning and development toolkit for e� ective organisational action. Our members, their teams and employers are seeing powerful results.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGESTO IMPLEMENTING REFLECTIVE PRACTICE? ‘Being refl ective is a relatively new concept involving changing behaviour. This takes time, and many people need to adapt the way in which they had previously worked. Not everyone likes change, but it is easier to accomplish when you can celebrate successes and quick wins’BDO LLP

Most PEPs identifi ed time as the main barrier to implementing refl ective practice in their organisations, with the daily pressures of the working day taking precedence. Some reported reticence in adopting refl ection as a routine part of the working day, seeing it as an activity only relevant during their annual appraisal. Others noted a reluctance to refl ect on benefi ts gained or lessons learnt, preferring more tangible success criteria.

‘It doesn’t come easy, so they give up when looking for immediate results,’ one PEP noted. The perception of more instructive forms of learning as being superior and negative assumptions based on previous experiences have hindered attempts to achieve the innovation that a refl ective approach can bring. Some reported misunderstanding as to what refl ection means, with sta� associating the refl ective process with the need to critique, identify failings or place blame. Modelling refl ective practice from the top of the organisation will demonstrate what is required, as well as making it clear that refl ection is a priority for the organisation and, therefore, the individual.

LEARN MOREYou can view the full case studies for participating employers

at www.step.org/refl ection-success. If you would like to know more about becoming an accredited

STEP Employer Partner, please contact the Employer Partnership Programme team at epp@step.org

1 Paul White, Julie Laxton and Ruth Brooke, ‘Refl ection: Importance, Theory and Practice’, British Academy of Audiology (2013), quoting Fearly, 1999; Duff y, 2009, bit.ly/2gprai1

2 A concept subsequently developed from Dewey by Donald Schön in The Refl ective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action (1983)

3 Michael Hammer and Steven A Stanton, ‘The Power of Refl ection’, Fortune, Vol 136 Iss 10 (1994), for.tn/2iMntr4

4 Elizabeth Edersheim, The Defi nitive Drucker, McGraw-Hill Professional (2007)

FEATURESREFLECTIVE PRACTICE

LAURA KEITH IS PROGRAMME MANAGER IN THE STEP EMPLOYER PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME TEAM AND MADELEINE JENNESS IS EDUCATION MANAGER AT STEP

RECOMMENDATIONS TO OTHERS SEEKING TO IMPLEMENT REFLECTIVE PRACTICE‘Make sure that your communication around the process is transparent and that you take the time to train people on the added values around adopting refl ection in the workplace. Most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate success, as, often, refl ection is seen as a tool to just focus on problems’Vistra Group

Organisations that wish to put in place refl ective practices should do the following:� lead by example from the top;� set a simple, clear framework;� encourage small changes initially

and allow time for them to develop;� demonstrate the benefi ts for the individual

and the business;� invest in appropriate tools and resources; and� create an environment built on trust.

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