The challenge of ‘the mirror’.

May 9, 2019

Do you remember the fairytale of Snow White when she asks the mirror

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of us all?

The response she received was “Snow White”.

For the rest of us, taking a long hard look in the mirror means standing in front of our true selves and taking time-out for self-reflection.

As leaders we are often there for others, but we also need to turn our gaze inward; to turn the mirror on ourselves.

This introspection can be both heartening and scary. It is a time to celebrate achievements and personal growth. It is also a time for reflection around what we could’ve done better, the learnings from this and new ways moving forward.

Sometimes having a trusted mentor to support your self-reflection can be helpful. As a past principal, I personally paid for a coach/mentor (and I still continue to do so).

My request was for them to push me outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to be both encouraged and guided to look into the windows of my world I had been avoiding shining a light on. I asked them to challenge my thinking, and support me to become both a better person and leader.

As you look into the mirror, here are a few helpful questions to guide your self-reflection…

In what ways did I live my values today?
When did I lean into challenge?
What did I do well? What were the elements of this that I can use again?
What could I have done better? How might that look? What support might I need?
How did I show self-love today?
What personal boundaries have I re-affirmed today?
How have I stepped into my brilliance today?

Sometimes the mirror can be a challenging place to look into. When we choose to do so however, we open windows to our world that foster both personal and professional growth.

So take some time for introspection; to look into the mirror.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to chat around how I might support you on this journey.

Need a speaker?

There are plenty of speakers to choose from. I am not the norm. You won’t be bored to tears by the same ole’ approach and dribble. How about bringing Mary-Anne for the conference or all-staff day.

Give me a stage and I’ll own it. Give me a room and I’ll energise it. Give me your people and I’ll inform and inspire them.

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