Applying the Gibbs Reflective Cycle to Improve a Workplace Relationship

Description of the experience:

Describe a specific situation within your workplace where a relationship with a colleague, supervisor, or stakeholder needs improvement. This could be a recent disagreement, a lack of communication, or simply a feeling of disconnect.

For example, perhaps you have a colleague who consistently misses deadlines and doesn’t communicate effectively, causing delays in your project.

Feelings and thoughts about the experience:

Reflect on your emotional response to the situation. How did it make you feel (frustrated, disrespected, angry)? What thoughts did you have about the situation and the other person’s behavior?

In the example above, you might feel frustrated by the delays and lack of communication, questioning your colleague’s work ethic or respect for your time.

Evaluation of the experience (both good and bad):

Consider both the positive and negative aspects of the situation. Were there any aspects of the interaction that went well?

For instance, maybe your colleague is a creative problem solver, and the project could benefit from their ideas if communication improved.

Analysis to make sense of the situation:

Analyze the root causes of the issue. What might be contributing to the strained relationship? Consider factors like communication styles, workload pressures, or personality clashes.

In this scenario, your colleague might be overwhelmed by their workload, leading to missed deadlines. There could also be a difference in communication styles, where you prefer directness and your colleague avoids confrontation.

Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently:

Based on your analysis, identify what you learned about yourself and the other person. Reflect on how you might have handled the situation differently.

For example, you might have learned that you need to be more assertive in communicating deadlines. You could have scheduled a one-on-one meeting to discuss workload and communication preferences.

Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future:

Develop a plan for how you would approach a similar situation moving forward. What specific actions will you take to improve the relationship and communication?

In this case, you could plan to meet with your colleague regularly to discuss progress and identify potential roadblocks. You could also suggest communication tools or platforms that work better for both of you.

Personal, Respectful, Relational, Reconciling:

The VBM (Virtuous Business Model) emphasizes “personal capital” in the virtuous leader domain. Consider how you can incorporate the following aspects of personal capital when working to improve the relationship:

• Personal: Be genuine and authentic in your interactions with the other person.
• Respectful: Treat the other person with respect, even if you disagree with them.
• Relational: Focus on building a positive and trusting relationship.
• Reconciling: Be willing to reconcile differences and find common ground.

By applying the Gibbs Reflective Cycle and incorporating these principles of personal capital, you can develop a plan to improve a strained relationship within your workplace.