Selfless Leader • Reflective Journal
Graham Gibbs — The Reflective Cycle
Gibbs offers leaders a structured way to reflect after action. His six-stage cycle moves from description to emotion, evaluation, analysis, and action—helping experience become disciplined learning rather than repetition.
At a glance
- Key idea: Reflection deepens through guided questions across six stages.
- Best used when: Reviewing significant events, decisions, or leadership challenges.
- What it helps you notice: Emotions, assumptions, consequences, and alternatives.
- Typical risk: Staying descriptive without moving toward insight or action.
- Leadership benefit: Clearer accountability and improved future performance.
Figure: Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (click to enlarge).
Core concepts
Description
What happened? Who was involved? What was the outcome?
Why it matters: Clarity prevents distortion and selective memory.
Feelings
What were you thinking and feeling at the time?
Why it matters: Emotions shape judgement—unexamined feelings influence future behaviour.
Evaluation
What was good or bad about the experience?
Why it matters: Leaders must distinguish outcomes from processes.
Analysis
Why did things happen the way they did?
Why it matters: Insight emerges when experience is examined through principles or frameworks.
Conclusion
What else could you have done?
Why it matters: Growth begins when alternative choices are considered.
Action Plan
If it arose again, what would you do?
Why it matters: Reflection without forward commitment does not change practice.
Why this matters for Selfless Leadership
- Accountability: Leaders take responsibility for both actions and impact.
- Emotional maturity: Feelings are acknowledged, not suppressed.
- Learning discipline: Reflection becomes structured rather than reactive.
- Service orientation: Improved action strengthens trust and shared outcomes.
Reflective Journal prompt
Consider a recent leadership episode and walk through Gibbs’ cycle.
Looking back
- What exactly happened?
- What were you thinking and feeling?
- What worked well—and what did not?
Looking ahead
- What deeper explanation now makes sense?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What specific commitment will you carry forward?
Tip: Keep your notes brief as you go—then write up the full entry at the end of the chapter if you choose.
