When Talking to Yourself is Not Such a Bad Idea
I don’t recommend that you talk to yourself, out loud in public places. The thought of it can conger up all kinds of interesting scenarios, a few of them funny, most of them not. On the other hand, when faced with a difficult decision, having what Donald Schön calls a conversation with the situation can help you, the middle leader, make good decisions.
A conversation with the situation, otherwise known as a reflective conversation, is a process of reflection that is guided by specific questions. The purpose of the reflective conversation it to help the decision maker learn about the many factors that influence a decision, and then use that information in the decision-making process.
Donald Schön’s The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action is a seminal work on reflective practice. Practitioners have developed various reflective models from Schön’s theories. One of the more widely known is John’s Model of Reflective Practice. The John’s Model is used in teaching, nursing and other professions where middle leaders must make decisions in complex circumstances.
The John’s Model consists of five cue questions that guide the conversation. At the heart of the five cue questions are the following five verbs: (1) describe, (2) reflect, (3) determine, (4) propose, and (5) learn. Though you can begin the conversation at step one, it is not a linear process per se. The John’s Model is versatile. It can be used before, during or even after a decision has been made.
For example, you’ve made a decision that did not turn out as you thought it would. Consequently, you wish to understand how you could have made a better decision. In this case, you could begin the reflective conversation at cue #5 (learning) and then move to the other cue questions—describing, reflecting, determining and proposing. Of course, there is no need to have the conversation by yourself. Bringing others into the reflective conversation gives a broader perspective to the process and also develops your leadership skills as you lead others through the process.
After looking over the chart, try having a conversation with these situations.
You need to purchase a car for yourself.
You have to decide if one of your team members can go on vacation at the busiest time of the year.
Your department is low on funds, and you have to decide to either lay people off, find more funding, or both.
It’s important to note that a reflective conversation is not a random conversation without structure or form. It is not a form of stream-of-consciousness or a simple association of ideas. It is a guided discussion with the aim of realizing or uncovering motivations, experiences, knowledge, and even values and beliefs that impact our decision making. A reflective conversation is a rigorous process that leads to reliable results.
The next time you must make a decision in complex circumstances, take time to have a conversation with the situation. In this case, talking to yourself is not such a bad idea.