Look back, look forward and learn

Our calendars are full and our to-do lists are long. We live in a world that seems to bring us more information, expectations, and options every day, and all of these things tend to speed up the pace of our lives.

There was a time, not so long ago, that a trip across the United States. it would take a couple of days by train. While this was much faster than previously available transportation, it’s still pretty quiet compared to the 4-5 hour flight we are now able to take.

In those seemingly slower times, we suppose we would have had time to stop and think. Today we argue that our time is limited and too precious to stop and think. There is too much to do. It is precisely because of all the tasks, stimuli and diversions that it is important that we stop.

Just stop and think.

You may not be able or want to do this every day. Even so, there are a variety of times in our professional and personal lives when we will especially benefit from looking back to help prepare us for more success in the future.

When?

As leaders and professionals, times may include:

o At the end of a project

o Before starting a new project

o After reaching a team or organizational milestone

or at the beginning of a new year

o When a team is formed

o When the team membership has changed

As individuals, times to do this include:

or At the start of a new job

o At the time of a major change in life

o After reaching a major goal or milestone (turning 30, finishing college, etc.)

or at the beginning of a new year

o At the beginning of a new calendar quarter

All of these are excellent moments to recount our lessons, capitalize on our experience, and test our wisdom. In other words, these are times to capture what we have learned so that we can capitalize on that learning as we move into our future.

As?

Take time to look back and look forward from where you are today. One of the best ways to do this is with questions.

Before you begin, find a quiet, comfortable place to sit with a notepad or journal. This is not a task better suited to typing on your computer. There is something about physically writing down your answers to these questions that is valuable.

Remember that what you write is for your eyes only, which means it can have scribbles, drawings, arrows, sentences, and incomplete sentences, you name it. This is not intended to be literature; rather it is a place and a process for you to capture your thoughts so that you can use those insights.

Here are 12 questions you can use to help you with this important task.

o What is the most valuable thing I learned?

or Who did I learn more from?

or What was the most fun?

or what did I get?

o What would I have done differently (or would I have done differently, knowing what I know now)?

o What are the three most significant events?

o How did I contribute more to those around me?

or What do I feel better with?

or What am I thankful for?

o How will these lessons benefit me or change my approach in the future?

or Who do I want to learn more from now?

or What are my goals?

Don’t be overwhelmed by the number or nature of these questions. They are guidelines. You may not be able to complete all your writing in one sitting, that’s okay too. The important thing is that you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from your experience.

The process can be used with a project or work team, board, or others. The questions can be slightly modified and the process now probably involves flip chart paper rather than a journal, but the reasons for doing so are just as compelling and the results just as valuable.