What Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Transcript

[Presenter] For many people, hands-on experience is the best way to learn. Getting "stuck in" means that there's no wasting time, and you can pick up new skills quickly.

But, how do you make sure that these experiences translate into long-term learning?

Without reflecting on where someone succeeded and where they need to improve, there's a good chance that these lessons won't stick. Here's where Gibbs' Reflective Cycle can help.

Developed and published by Professor Graham Gibbs, this five-step cycle is designed to help people reflect on their work or specific aspects of their job – so they can examine what's going well and what they could do better.

Let's look at how you could use Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to coach an employee who's struggling to get their voice heard in meetings.

First, ask them to describe the situation in detail. This stage is just about collecting information, so remain impartial.

- [Julia] So what happened?

- [Max] I don't know. I was in the meeting and I tried doing what we were talking about, being more confident.

- [Julia] And who else was in the meeting with you?

- [Max] Pretty much the whole team. But I could barely get a word in at all, really.

[Presenter] Next, encourage them to discuss their feelings before and after the situation. They may not be keen to open up at first, so give them time, and listen carefully to show them that you truly care.

- [Julia] How were you feeling before the meeting?

- [Max] I felt good. I felt prepared. You know, I had my notes ready ahead of time.

- [Julia] How do you feel now?

- [Max] Disappointed... Mostly in myself just for not being more confident.

- [Julia] And how do you think other people felt about it?

- [Max] I don't think they even noticed.

[Presenter] Now that you've laid the groundwork, it's time to get your team member to look objectively at their successes and failures.

- [Julia] OK, let's focus on the positives for a second. What do you think went well?

- [Max] Well, I was prepared. I had the presentation ready ahead of time.

- [Julia] And what do you think you can improve on?

- [Max] Being more confident. And, you know, keeping my cool and not being so flustered when people talk over me.

[Presenter] Next, help them to draw conclusions based on the information they've given so far.

- [Julia] OK, so based on everything you've said what do you think you would do differently next time?

- [Max] Maybe I could work on being more confident. And if I've got something important to say, I can block out some time in the agenda, and then maybe leave some time at the end of the meeting to answer questions.

[Presenter] Finally, it's time to draw up an action plan. Agree between you what actions your team member will take in similar future scenarios, and schedule a catch up to review their progress.

By its very nature Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is designed to be used as an ongoing coaching tool. So don't be afraid to revisit these situations with your team member going forward, too.

Let's recap.

Even when we know we need to improve, it can be difficult to understand exactly what it is we need to improve and how to achieve it.

You can use Gibbs' Reflective cycle to work through a situation you want to improve by thinking about your feelings, as well as what went well and what didn't. Then, use your observations to draw up some conclusions and tangible actions that will help you to continue to improve your skills and your confidence at work.