Reflection

Prior to the first day of our retreat, I had not sat down and thoughtfully reflected on my strengths and personal styles in working with others or as a leader. Unlike many of my colleagues in the best class ever, the LIFO Survey we took that day was my first in-depth analysis at my style. And while I know everyone in that room took something away from the survey, I fully recognize that for me, it was an energizing and enlightening experience.

Let's face it. There are some facts about ourselves that we're not very quick to recognize. Then there are strengths that we may know we have, but we've never taken the time to weigh or evaluate as compared to our other strengths. That day, I was clearly struck by my strengths and weaknesses. I was able to draw connections to my day-to-day tendencies and recognized that, yep, those results were spot-on. Quite eye-opening.

The LSC retreat also made me realize how much you can learn with simple, straight-forward conversations and tasks. The simple act of working silently with teammates to piece together puzzle shapes in geometric patterns was a great experiment in communication. I found that tasks, such as these puzzles, coupled with simple interviews of my colleagues in the best class ever, were remarkable ways to make connections.

I walked out of the retreat with a level of enthusiasm I had not anticipated. The projects are fascinating and worthy of our best work, and while I must admit they seem daunting, I can't wait to see what happens next. Looking forward to what the next six months will bring!