A Practical Guide to Reflective Practice for Leadership Development Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle
Reflective practice is your secret weapon when it comes to leadership development. It allows leaders to learn from experiences, adjust thinking and behaviours, and continuously improve their effectiveness.
Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle provides a structured framework for this process, making it one of the most powerful practices to master as a leader.
Graham Gibbs developed his “six-stage reflective model” (1988), which emphasises the process of turning reflections into actionable insights. Each stage encourages deep exploration of what happened, why it happened, and how to improve.
This practical guide will help you work through any situation where you might have experienced less than favourable results, and understand what changes you might want to take to ensure a better outcome. It promotes ownership and taking responsibility for your own behaviours and will help to shine a light on programmed behaviours which may now longer serve you when working with others.
Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle Template
Here is an template for you to use to get started using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. For each stage we’ve provided a template for the framework and also an example of how it might work in practice:
Stage 1: Description
In this stage, you describe the facts of the situation or experience that you want to reflect on. The goal is to capture the details without assigning judgment or bias at this stage.
Identify the experience: This could be a leadership challenge, a decision you made, a team conflict, or a project outcome.
Consider the following:
- What exactly happened?
- Who was involved?
- Where and when did it take place?
- What was the outcome?
Leadership Example:
During a team meeting, a conflict arose between two team members about the direction of a project. As the leader, I tried to mediate, but the conversation escalated. The meeting ended without resolution, and team morale seemed low.
Stage 2: Feelings
Reflect on your internal experience, your emotional responses to the situation. Understanding your feelings is crucial because emotions often influence how leaders react and make decisions.
Reflect on your feelings during the event:
- How did you feel before, during, and after the situation?
- What were you thinking as events played out?
- How did you think others were feeling? What did you notice that might provide clues?
Be honest: It’s okay to acknowledge feelings of frustration, anxiety, confidence, or satisfaction, as these inform your behaviour. You can also begin to understand why these feelings might have been activated.
Leadership Example:
At the time, I felt frustrated and a bit powerless. I was also concerned about how the rest of the team perceived my handling of the situation. I wondered if they felt I lacked authority or the ability to resolve conflicts effectively.
Stage 3: Evaluation
Reflect on what went well and what didn’t. It’s important to take a balanced approach and acknowledge both the positive and negative aspects of the situation.
Identify successes:
- What did you handle well as a leader?
- How did the team respond to positive aspects of your leadership?
Acknowledge mistakes:
- What didn’t go according to plan?
- Where were the key challenges or failures in your leadership approach?
Leadership Example:
On the positive side, I maintained my composure and ensured everyone had a chance to voice their opinions. However, I struggled to guide the conversation towards resolution. The conflict lingered, which affected team dynamics.
Stage 4: Analysis
Now you can analyse why things happened the way they did. Look for underlying causes, patterns, and dynamics that influenced the outcome.
Analyse causes:
- What were the root causes of the problems or successes?
- How did your actions influence the situation?
- Did your leadership style or behaviours help or hinder the process?
Leverage frameworks:
- Use leadership models, theories, or past experiences to deepen your analysis.
Leadership Example:
The conflict escalated because I focused too much on being neutral rather than assertively steering the conversation towards a solution. My democratic leadership style worked in the past, but in this scenario, a more directive approach may have been necessary.
Stage 5: Conclusion
At this stage, take time to reflect on what you learned from the experience and consider how you might approach a similar situation differently in the future. It may sometimes help to explore these questions with a coach.
Lessons learnt:
- What should you continue doing based on this experience?
- What could you change or improve?
Explore alternative approaches:
- How could you have approached the situation more effectively?
Leadership Example:
In hindsight, I should have intervened earlier and more decisively. I could have proposed a compromise or set clear expectations for resolving the conflict. I also realized that I need to improve my skills in conflict resolution.
Stage 6: Action Plan
This final stage is about turning reflection into action. It’s about creating a plan for how you will apply your insights to future leadership challenges.
Develop a strategy:
- What steps will you take to improve your leadership in similar situations?
Set goals:
- Identify key leadership skills you want to develop, such as communication, conflict resolution, or assertiveness.
Leadership Example:
Next time, I will adopt a more structured approach to conflict resolution, setting clear guidelines for discussions and stepping in earlier to mediate. I’ll also seek out training on managing difficult conversations to strengthen my skills in this area.
Gibbs Reflective Cycle Example
Here’s an example of how to integrate Gibbs’ model into your daily leadership practice:
- Set time for reflection: Regularly set aside time—whether daily, weekly, or after major events—for structured reflection using Gibbs’ cycle.
- Record your reflections in a journal: Writing down your reflections at each stage helps clarify your thinking and track your leadership growth over time.
- Solicit feedback: Ask for feedback from peers or mentors to gain different perspectives on your leadership. This can inform your reflection and action planning.
- Review and refine: Periodically review past reflections to identify recurring patterns or persistent challenges in your leadership. This will help you adjust and continuously improve.
- Practice self-awareness: Stay mindful of your emotions and thought patterns as you lead. This self-awareness is essential for meaningful reflection.
Benefits of a Reflective Model in Leadership Development
Enhanced Self-Awareness: By systematically reflecting on your actions, feelings, and outcomes, you develop a deeper understanding of your leadership strengths and areas for improvement.
Continuous Learning: The cycle encourages a mindset of lifelong learning, helping you evolve as a leader through every experience.
Improved Decision-Making: Reflecting on past decisions enables you to approach future situations with more clarity, confidence, and better judgment.
Increased Emotional Intelligence: By recognizing and analysing your emotions and those of others, you become more adept at managing interpersonal relationships and team dynamics.
Adaptive Leadership: The cycle helps you fine-tune your leadership style, making it more flexible and responsive to different challenges and contexts.
Reflecting on your own performance and outcomes is a critical part of improving leadership effectiveness; unlocking the power of reflection to cultivate resilience, insight, and adaptive leadership.
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