A few weeks have passed since my initial reflections which were driven by a critical incident. Something that I had noticed and felt at the time. A level of discomfort if you like; a sense that I was not being true to myself or my values. The way the situation was managed could have resulted in a shift in how I was perceived as a practitioner/professional. I was conscious that my behaviour had become very defensive.
I realised that I had to adjust the way that I communicated my views/feelings so as to not come across as being defensive and thus aggressive. Well chosen vocabulary coupled with a determination to keep a dialogue flowing helped me to illustrate and hold up my beliefs for scrutiny by others.
This Senge like approach has resulted in a shift in how I am regarded in the classroom and brought me closer to my ideal of operating as a consultant in situ as opposed to an agent on demand.
“The most effective people are those who can “hold” their vision while remaining committed to seeing current reality clearly” Peter M. Senge, The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization
