Self Reflection with the Hourglass Model

In our leadership programmes, we often use the hourglass model to reflect in a quick and in-depth way, by yourself or together with colleagues. Self-reflection is an important part of personal growth and development, especially for executives and leaders who can make a big impact on their organisation and environment. An effective means of promoting self-reflection is the hourglass model, where you take time to reflect on the context in which you live and work, your own strengths and weaknesses, and the ultimate impact you can make. Context: first, look at the context in which you live and work. As a leader, you influence this context, and it is important to be aware of how your choices and actions can affect it — for example, how your leadership style affects others, and whether you might have habits or assumptions that are hindering you and your team. You: secondly, reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses. By being self-aware of your pitfalls and bottlenecks, you can take targeted steps to improve and grow — developing certain skills further, or working on emotional intelligence or communication skills. Impact: finally, the ultimate impact you can make. As a leader, you have the opportunity to make a big impact on your team, organisation and environment; self-reflection allows you to see how you can maximise this impact and what steps to take to increase it. In conclusion, self-reflection through the hourglass model is a powerful tool to promote personal growth and make a greater impact — the stronger you are as a leader, the more impact you can make.