The Personal Growth Practice That Changed My Leadership

In my early days as a health center CEO, I believed leadership was all about what I did for others - solving problems, making decisions, providing direction. My calendar was packed with meetings, my inbox overflowed with urgent requests, and I wore my exhaustion like a badge of honor.

Then something happened that shifted everything.

The Wake-Up Call

In 2022, my son started having significant health issues, and I found myself trying to juggle caring for him, taking him to his appointments, and maintaining that packed work calendar. I was reacting to everything, helping no one effectively, and quickly burning out.

I remember one particularly brutal day when I had shuttled between three different medical appointments for my son, joined two virtual meetings from different waiting rooms, and still managed to disappoint several team members who needed decisions from me. That night, I sat in my car in the garage for 15 minutes before going inside, too exhausted to even move.

Something had to change. Not just for my own wellbeing, but for my effectiveness as a leader and—most importantly—as a parent.

Discovering the Power of a Morning Reflective Practice

That's when I discovered the practice of a reflective morning routine - a structured approach to examining my own thoughts, needs, assumptions, and actions that completely transformed how I showed up as a leader.

For my entire career, I started my day running. No, not that kind of running - running from one thing to the next. I would jump out of bed, quickly get ready for work while getting my son ready for the day, and bolt out of the house without taking one moment to THINK about what I wanted from the day. I would run from meeting to meeting and appointment to appointment all day long, and really have no moment to take a breath. I knew I wasn't going to last long like that, so I asked my counselor what I could do to feel more centered, calm, and in control of the day. That was when he suggested taking time in the morning for a reflection practice.

At first, it felt counterintuitive. How could taking time to reflect possibly help when there were so many urgent matters demanding attention? But, I started setting my alarm for 30 minutes earlier, and I committed to just 20 minutes of structured reflection three times a week, using a simple journaling app on my phone. I use the "Grid Diary" app, and like that it gives me prompts (questions to answer) for my journaling. If I had to come up with what to write every morning, there is no way I would stick with it.

The Transformation

The impact was profound. Within weeks, I noticed how calm I felt on most days. How a simple journal entry could help me get centered on what was most important to me that day, and even give me space to reflect on why it was important and what my priorities were in getting it accomplished.

What surprised me most was how this practice affected my leadership. I found myself:

• Making clearer decisions with less second-guessing
• Listening more attentively in meetings instead of mentally planning my next task
• Responding to challenges with curiosity rather than reactivity
• Setting more effective boundaries around my time and energy
• Connecting my daily actions to our organization's larger purpose
  
  

Most importantly, I discovered that my greatest leadership impact didn't come from doing more - it came from showing up with greater awareness, intention, and presence.

The reflective practice that seemed like it would take time away from my leadership actually multiplied my effectiveness in ways I never expected.

The Framework: A Morning Reflection Practice for Healthcare Leaders

After refining this practice over months and sharing it with other healthcare leaders I coach, I've developed a framework that's both simple enough to maintain and powerful enough to create lasting change.

Step 1: Create the Right Environment

The environment you create for reflection matters. Here's what works for me:

• Timing: First thing in the morning, before checking email or messages
• Duration: 10-20 minutes (start with just 10 if you're new to this)
• Space: A comfortable, quiet place (for me, it's a specific chair in my living room)
• Tools: A journaling app with prompts (I use Grid Diary, but there are many options)
• Ritual: I start with a glass of water and three deep breaths to signal to my brain that this is reflection time

Step 2: The Three Questions That Reveal Your Leadership Patterns

While there are countless prompts you could use, I've found these three questions particularly powerful for healthcare leaders:

1. What is most important today, and why? This question helps distinguish between the urgent and the truly important. The "why" part connects your activities to deeper values and purpose.

2. What assumptions am I making that might not be true? This question has been transformative for me. As leaders, we often operate on unchecked assumptions about what our teams need, what's causing problems, or what solutions will work.

3. How do I want to show up today? This focus on presence and intention—rather than just tasks—reminds me that how I lead is often more important than what specific actions I take.

I rotate through additional questions depending on what's happening in my work and life, but these three form the foundation of my practice.

Step 3: From Insight to Action

Reflection without action is just daydreaming. Here's how to ensure your morning practice creates real change:

• Identify one key insight from your reflection
• Create a specific commitment based on this insight
• Set a calendar reminder for mid-day to check in on your commitment
• Close your reflection by visualizing yourself living this commitment
  
  

For example, after reflecting on the question about assumptions, I realized I was assuming my team was resistant to a new initiative when they might just lack clarity. My commitment was to have individual conversations with three members of our leadership team that day, approaching with curiosity rather than persuasion.

Step 4: Develop Consistency Through Tracking

The power of this practice comes through consistency, not perfection. I track my reflection sessions in a simple habit tracker, aiming for at least three times per week.

When I first began, I noticed I would skip the practice precisely when I needed it most—during particularly busy or stressful periods. Now I recognize that pattern and prioritize reflection especially during challenging times.

The Unexpected Team Impact

Perhaps the most surprising outcome of this practice was its effect on my team—even though they were not directly involved in my morning reflection.

When I'm more present, clear, and intentional, it creates a ripple effect:

• Meetings become more focused and productive
• Team members receive clearer direction
• I listen more effectively, helping people feel valued
• My reduced reactivity creates psychological safety
• My boundaries help others establish their own

One team member told me, "I don't know what's changed, but our one-on-ones have become so much more helpful. I feel like you're really hearing me."

Little did they know that the change wasn't a new management technique or communication strategy—it was simply 20 minutes of morning reflection that helped me show up more fully as a leader.

Getting Started

If you'd like to experience the benefits of reflection for yourself, I invite you to try this for the next 7 days:

1. Select your medium: Choose whether you'll use a physical journal, an app like Grid Diary, or another digital tool.
2. Start small: Commit to just 10 minutes for the next 7 days.
3. Keep it simple: Use just one reflection question to start. I recommend "What is most important today, and why?"
4. Track your experience: Note any changes you observe in your leadership, relationships, or overall wellbeing.
5. Share your insights: Consider finding an accountability partner who's also interested in reflective practice.
   
   

Remember that the goal isn't perfect execution—it's developing greater awareness that gradually transforms how you lead.

Final Thoughts

Leadership in healthcare has never been more challenging. We face unprecedented complexity, continuous change, and seemingly endless demands on our time and energy.

In this environment, the instinct is to do more, move faster, and work harder. Yet my experience suggests that the most powerful leadership tool might be the simplest: the willingness to pause, reflect, and bring greater intention to how we show up each day.

As one healthcare leader I coached put it: "I used to think reflection was a luxury I couldn't afford. Now I realize it's a necessity I can't function effectively without."

If you've been feeling overwhelmed, reactive, or disconnected from your sense of purpose as a leader, I encourage you to try this practice. The investment is small—just 10-20 minutes a few times a week—but the returns in leadership effectiveness, personal wellbeing, and organizational impact can be transformative.

What personal growth practices have made a difference in your leadership? I'd love to hear your experiences via email. And if you'd like personalized guidance on developing a reflective practice tailored to your leadership challenges, reach out at [email protected] to learn about my leadership coaching programs.