Journaling for Leaders: Four Reasons I Highly Recommend It
Leaders who journal grow. They invest time in reflection, use the knowledge to elevate performance, and improve relationships.
If you are not journaling currently, I encourage you to pick up this habit. Any notebook will do. In fact, I used to journal in a black marble composition book - a nod to my love of classroom education. Use a book that is easily portable; you never know when or where a thought or reflection needs to be captured.
What makes journaling so impactful? Four powerful reasons are top of mind based on the results I witness in the lives of clients:
Seeing patterns.
One way to use your journal is to reflect. You have a tough meeting, you have a big presentation, you need to communicate a significant change to your team. Immediately following said event, take the time to sit with your journal and note: what went well, what didn't go well, and what you'll do differently next time.
Especially important is noting what you did well. That's why you start with it. This small act of celebration gives you confidence to move forward. Something always goes well.
Noticing behaviors.
As you reflect over time, you'll see which behaviors bring out the best in your leadership and which do not. How does your level of stress or emotion impact your ability to achieve results? After journaling for a few months, you may realize you do not listen as much as you talk in team meetings. You can set a goal to listen more and continue to measure progress through the act of journaling.
There is nothing better than the day your journal entry notes improvement - perhaps listening allowed you to consider a solution you would not have previously. You will likely hear positive feedback from others regarding the behavior change, too.
Strengthening relationships.
It is not enough to build relationships in leadership. You must cultivate strong and sustained relationships. Journaling gives you the feedback and self-coaching to nurture the relationships that matter most to you. Identify the goals you have with each direct report - perhaps you want to know what inspires each person, what motivates them, how they prefer to receive feedback. Create journal pages for each direct report and note insights as you have them.
Evaluating progress.
When you want to get better in the future, it helps to know your starting point. Journaling brings clarity. It defines where you are today in your leadership. Journaling allows you to dream. You articulate where you want to go in the future. Write down what you enjoy about your leadership role, what challenges you, and how you work through the challenges. You become your best student - and teacher - and the journal is written evidence of your growth. Give yourself time to get acclimated to the process, and see the results compile.
I suggest journaling at least once a week, typically at the end of the week to reflect on your accomplishments, your setbacks, and your intentions for the future. Schedule 20 minutes on your calendar on Friday afternoon to prioritize the time. Come back to the journal on Monday morning, read what you wrote, and use the feedback to kick start a new week.
Journaling is a method of self-coaching that leads to results, both short- and long-term. I encourage you to get started and see where it takes you.
Dr. Katie Stone is the founder of Together Evolving. Email Katie at katie.stone@togetherevolving.com to learn more about the transformational impact coaching has on you and your leadership.