John Waller and John Townroe,
and David Quine and Judy Brown,
who have enabled us to reflect along
our respective life journeys
Acknowledgements
We want to thank those who have helped us reflect both as leaders and in our work with leaders. Alan is particularly grateful for the encouragement from the teams he worked with in the Dioceses of Lichfield and St Albans. Peter is very appreciative of the wisdom and encouragement of his colleagues at Praesta Partners.
We first met in 2005 and have enjoyed rewarding and stimulating conversations over the last few years. We bring together varied experiences and approaches having worked in different spheres. Together in this book we focus on the importance of leadership and the need to grow and nurture leaders in demanding times.
We believe that the art of reflection is a crucial aspect of leadership. We both come from a Christian heritage. Our intent is to draw on the tradition of spiritual wisdom and the best of good practice from those leaders who have been able to combine activity and reflection successfully.
We are grateful to those who have read the book in draft and provided valuable comments. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the contribution of Ian Jones, Hilary Fairfield, Andy Piggott, Alan Harvey, Zoe Stear and David Brockman.
Christine Smith has been an admirable editor. She has supported us as we developed the ideas for the book and has made some helpful suggestions. We are grateful to Helen Burtenshaw and Mary Handford who have managed our diaries so we have been able to meet and reflect on the themes in the book. We thank Jackie Tookey for her practical help with some of the typing. Helen Burtenshaw has shown great patience in linking together some of our disparate contributions into one complete text.
Peter’s wife, Frances, has been a source of both teasing and encouragement. She regards both of us as activists rather than reflectors and finds it amusing that we should be writing a book on the reflective leader. Our justification is that because we are activists by nature, we are still learning how to reflect. We are not exemplars of reflection: we are learning.
We are delighted that John Sentamu has written the Foreword. John is an inspiration as someone who has given a strong lead in a variety of contexts: as a young lawyer when he opposed Idi Amin in Uganda and was arrested; later, when he was Bishop of Stepney and chaired the Damiola Taylor review; and now as Archbishop of York.
All our royalties for the book are going to the Bishop of St Albans Community Development Fund.
We hope that the book will stimulate thought and encourage some practical reflection as you develop different approaches in your journey as a leader.
Foreword
Reflection is at the heart of my life and work as an archbishop. I am privileged to meet a wide range of people in many different situations: listening, encouraging, sharing and challenging. It would be possible to fill my day ten times over with interesting and worthwhile activity. This makes the discipline of reflection a necessity, not an option. I need to stand back regularly and place my experiences and observations in a wider perspective. I have to look beyond my immediate busyness and reflect on my own journey lest I get swept along by a tide of trivia, and the seduction of what others see as urgent. Benign neglect is a great antidote. Taking time out to reflect sharpens my understanding of individuals and situations. It enables me to understand better the complex human, political, economic and religious context that I find myself operating in.
We live in a time of rapid change. The turbulence that many people are experiencing can generate huge pressure on priorities. Making adequate space for reflection can easily become a casualty of an overfull diary. But quality reflection is not escapism or romanticism. It is crucial to good leadership. It reminds us of our values and encourages us to live them. It creates an internal space in which we become clearer about the contribution we can make in a given situation. This is how a leader can make a difference.
In this book Alan Smith and Peter Shaw have combined the best of good management practice with spiritual wisdom and insight. Their approach is practical and easy to follow, with questions to consider at the end of each chapter. They are an unusual joint authorship. Alan was Bishop of Shrewsbury before becoming the Diocesan Bishop of St Albans. Peter was a director general within the UK Government before becoming an executive coach and a business school professor in leadership development. Peter brings the practical insights you would expect of a Reader or Licensed Lay Minister, with nearly 40 years’ experience of working with those in leadership positions. Alan brings a lifetime of leadership not only in the Church, but from chairing regional bodies such as the Shropshire Strategic Partnership.
This book is not convoluted theory. Its chapters are realistic, robust and relevant. Whether you are leading two people or two hundred, whether they are employees or volunteers, you will find these reflections engaging and challenging. Be ready to stand still to move forward. Be open to your own reflections as you read on. May it stimulate you into a quality of activity which makes the biggest difference for good.
Dr John Sentamu
Archbishop of York
Introduction
Reflection is essential for effective leadership. To be reflective is to be curious and to ask how others view the issues we are confronting. It is about seeing the bigger picture, focusing on the longer term, and always bringing a wider perspective to bear. Prioritizing time for reflection is not a selfish indulgence. It is about ensuring the most demanding issues are addressed and that problems are not ignored.
Reflection is about legitimizing thinking time. Rapid pace of change, pressure from the media for instant comments, the risk of emotional overreaction and the loss of organizational experience and wisdom are all reasons why in the contemporary world leaders need more time to reflect, not less.
Each of us reflects in different ways. For some, wide reading is an essential element or the intentional creation of periods of silence. Some imagine what it is to stand in someone else’s shoes, consciously allowing time for in-depth discussion, or working in a reflective way with a coach.
The importance of reflection
The title of this book is deliberately ambiguous. We chose The Reflective Leader because, at its most basic level, leadership is not just about the things we do or the techniques we use. The most fundamental factor that affects our leadership is who we are: our values, our character, our attitudes and our personality. In this book we argue that who we are as leaders is just as important as what we do. Character is as essential as skills.
The book title also suggests that one of the crucial habits that leaders need to develop is reflection − about ourselves, about others and about the context in which we are operating. Without systematic reflection individuals and organizations can quickly lose sight of what they are doing and its impact. For the physical and mental well-being of those who work in the organization, as well as its long-term flourishing, time for reflection is crucial.
The West Wing is a fast-moving television series about the President of the United States of America and the team that works around him. It portrays a president who makes decisions in seconds, often about matters which have worldwide repercussions. He is constantly on the move. Many of the decisions seem to be made as he walks in the corridors between meetings while having rapid conversations with his assistants. He is a man of action. He knows what needs to be done and makes snap decisions on the hoof. It makes gripping drama, but it underplays a vital part of leadership: the time and discipline required for reflection.
Good leaders have a sound grasp of the factors that impact on their organization. They are shrewd judges of character and make well-considered appointments. They understand the wide range of issues that might influence what they are trying to achieve. They are able to read what is going on in the wider society or in their market. They spot emerging trends and opportunities. Some do it instinctively, while others do it because they are