{"id":7014,"date":"2017-12-15T12:26:37","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T16:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katherinespinney.com\/december-performance-reviews-too-late-copy\/"},"modified":"2021-11-05T20:24:35","modified_gmt":"2021-11-05T20:24:35","slug":"importance-selfreflection-selfevaluation-throughout-year-not-just-performance-review-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/importance-selfreflection-selfevaluation-throughout-year-not-just-performance-review-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Self-Evaluation and Self-Reflection Throughout the Year (Not just at performance review time)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Many of us have been or will be asked to write a self-evaluation as part of <\/span><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katherinespinney.com\/december-performance-reviews-too-late\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this year\u2019s performance review process.<\/a><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Organizations do this to involve employees in their own evaluation in the spirit of empowerment and buy in, an exercise that may very well be effective depending on its implementation. For many, this has been a part of the process so it remains a part of the process, whether they perceive actual value or not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Regardless of the effectiveness of using self-evaluation during the review process, implementing self-evaluation and self-reflection in our everyday lives is essential to our own growth, both professionally and personally. <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.processeducation.org\/ijpe\/2011\/reflection.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">What is the difference between the two?<\/a><\/span>\u00a0Self-reflection seeks insight about yourself and your behavior, values, knowledge and growth. Self-evaluation, on the other hand, is used to study your performance in order to improve it. Both are related and necessary to your growth both at work and outside of it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As this year comes to a close, it is a natural time to look back and evaluate all that has happened. Whether or not you will formally do so on a performance review self-evaluation, it is helpful to ask yourself some questions to gain a deeper understanding of lessons learned and ways to keep moving forward in the year to come.\u00a0 As a starting point, ask yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What did I do that I am proud of?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Knowing what I know now, If I could do it over again, what would I do differently?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What helped bring me closer to my goal? What took me further away?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Based on the results of this year, what do I want to continue doing in the New Year? Stop doing? Start doing?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What resources and support did I use? In what ways were they helpful? Not helpful?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">What other resources and support could I use going forward to help me reach my goal?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Who did I receive useful feedback from? Who can I seek feedback from to better understand what I am doing well and what I can do better?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Am I still committed to this goal?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Is there anything in my plan that should be adjusted?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Am I continuing to honor my values?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD I SELF-REFLECT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly reflecting on everything that is going on around us. When it comes to intentionally setting aside time to reflect, a daily practice is best for consistency, meaning and value. After a while, it will become as regular a part of your life as brushing your teeth (and just as important!) Intentionally reflecting only when you feel like it, when you think you have time, or every other Thursday will make it too easy to forget or put it off for another day. Commit to a daily practice and keep your commitment as you would any other. When you start to see value and reap the benefits, you will anticipate and embrace the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>HOW LONG SHOULD I SELF-REFLECT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It depends on what is happening, but<a href=\"https:\/\/insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu\/article\/how-self-reflection-can-make-you-a-better-leader\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">setting aside 10-15 minutes a day is a good start<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">,<\/span> with the understanding that some days it will be valuable to spend more time. In some cases, much more. This is not intended to be a punishment to endure. It is designed to be a process that develops and grows you. Embrace it. It may feel a bit painful in the beginning when you are tired, or wanting to avoid the answers that will come, but once you experience the benefits, it will become a natural part of your day. Stick with it until you get there, and if you start to slip, get yourself back on track. If it is helpful to implement an accountability measure (checking in with someone else, giving yourself a reward, etc.) by all means do so. Whatever will get you to where you want to be. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[box] &#8220;Much of the time, we&#8217;re transfixed by all of the ways we can reflect ourselves into the world. And we can barely find the time to reflect deeply back in on our own selves.&#8221; Ariel Garten [\/box]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>SHOULD I WRITE MY REFLECTIONS DOWN<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you are new to the practice, I would suggest experimenting with as many different methods as possible. You never know which one will be most beneficial to you, and you never know when this might change based on time, need and situation. Try journaling your reflections for a week or so and see how that practice serves you. Another week, try to reflect only by thinking. Another week, try using a creative outlet. Experiment, feel it out, push through the awkward, silly and uncomfortable as you discover what works best for you. \u00a0If you find that you are beginning to go through the motions, switch it up and experiment with something else. There will certainly be days where insights feel more powerful than others. Trust the process and let each practice yield what it will.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>IS SELF-REFLECTION EFFECTIVE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Yes (though it\u2019s always important to ask, effective at what?) Harvard and others have done extensive research on self-reflection as it relates to productivity and have found great benefit in the practice. <a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2017\/03\/why-you-should-make-time-for-self-reflection-even-if-you-hate-doing-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">In one particular study,employees who spent 15 minutes at the end of the day reflecting about lessons learned performed 23% better after 10 days than those who did not reflect.<\/span> <\/a>The practice was also shown to be effective\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.professionalnursing.org\/article\/S8755-7223(17)30031-5\/abstract\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">in a<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.professionalnursing.org\/article\/S8755-7223(17)30031-5\/abstract\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> study on self-reflection and competence in nursing<\/a><\/span>. In addition to increases in productivity, self-reflection and self-evaluation have been found to produce increases in leadership skills as well as learning across fields and subjects.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>HOW DO I BEGIN<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Make a commitment to implementing self-reflection as a regular part of your life. Start today, right now if you can. Take 10 minutes to think about a particular goal you have and ask yourself some questions (use those above as a starting point) to get you started. Write down some thoughts. Draw a picture. Experiment and play around with it. Decide when you will implement the practice each day, preferably at the same time for consistency. Put it in your calendar as you would any other important event in your life and honor your commitment. <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/guest-insights\/post\/leadership-character-the-role-of-reflection\/2011\/04\/04\/gIQAdJOr1R_blog.html?utm_term=.72a9ec45dd68\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Because what is more important than your own growth and development?<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">****************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">If you would like additional support on self-reflection and other important leadership skills, click the picture below to check out our courses that are designed to help you do just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katherine-spinney-coaching.thinkific.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12218 aligncenter size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katherinespinney.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"490\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier.png 1600w, https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Making-Difficult-Work-Conversations-Easier-600x338.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"jb_0 X_6MGW N_6Fd5\">\n<div id=\"yiv2312034589\">\n<div id=\"yiv2312034589ydpfa7c2b1dyahoo_quoted_8055578080\" class=\"yiv2312034589ydpfa7c2b1dyahoo_quoted\">\n<div id=\"yiv2312034589ydpfa7c2b1dyiv0173861669\">\n<div id=\"yiv2312034589ydpfa7c2b1dyiv0173861669ydp9ad7b34eyahoo_quoted_7887162466\" class=\"yiv2312034589ydpfa7c2b1dyiv0173861669ydp9ad7b34eyahoo_quoted\">\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">*********************************************************<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many of us have been or will be asked to write a self-evaluation as part of this year\u2019s performance review process. Organizations do this to involve employees in their own evaluation in the spirit of empowerment and buy in, an exercise that may very well be effective depending on its implementation. For many, this has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7014"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12639,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7014\/revisions\/12639"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.logoworks.com\/ksc2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}