Self Evaluation

Happy Thursday!

I was digging into information on “belonging”.  I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, but did find some great materials online.  So many great learning opportunities to help you champion belonging and bring it to your day-to-day work. 

Very close to my heart, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the entire month of September as National Suicide Prevention Month.  AFSP’s mission is to educate the public on suicide prevention awareness and to encourage more people to learn how they can help save lives.   It is a great reminder to start with self and to manage our own mental health and work–life balance.  It is also important to know what signs people considering suicide typically exhibit.   To learn more, click here.   

Self Evaluation

Harvard Business Review in an article called Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self Reflection introduces self-reflection and evaluation as a skill necessary for employees to thrive in the workplace and are qualities of great leadership. 

The authors, James R. Bailey and Scheherazade Rehman go as far as saying this capability is “the key to making yourself indispensable – not just now but far into the future.” 

It is interesting that this critical capability is seldom talked about.  Rather we hear often about communication, compassion, adaptability, communication, and emotional intelligence as key leadership traits.  Nevertheless, self-reflection and evaluation are important as they offer the individual the ability to learn.  Looking back on the day or month (without bias or regret) and evaluating the successes, obstacles, attitudes, behaviors, and all that goes with it to obtain an outcome.  The authors continue in the article and discuss the honest moment of reflection and how important it is “to seriously think about what transpired, what worked, what didn’t what can be done, and what can’t”.  They even say that the process requires courage.   I agree.

Taking this and applying it to the self-evaluation can reap rewards if only the ability to articulate your progress towards objections for the year.  It does require consistency and making the documenting a habit.

So how to make it a habit?   First, block time for self-reflection. Next, have a tool set up so you can document it.  I use One Note, but the tool isn’t important.  Truthfully, you can document in any of the available Wells Fargo products.  Just document!  Finally, don’t just add things to the list and forget them.  Go back to entries and add additional thoughts/learnings. 

Don’t forget that the self-evaluation isn’t only about what you knocked out of the park.  It is also about the times you were off track or missed the mark.  All are important items to reflect on, learn, and grow from.

Happy Thursday all,

-srt

REFERENCE:

James R. Bailey and Scheherazade Rehman.  Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection.  Harvard Business Review