Reflection on Team Reflection
Reflection on team reflection sounds peculiar, theoretical and convoluted. It is, too and yet it is very important. One can ignore it, but then the team is threatened with overlooking some important aspects of its effectiveness. Pragmatic and action-orientated people usually have understandable resistance to this. In calm and stable times, one can permit this and leave the questions presented here rest with a good conscience. At other times (and where have those not currently commenced?), it is negligent.
A team always organises itself. Always. To a certain extent nothing is left to be. But, because of this, that which has organised itself, cannot also direct itself!!! Directing always requires a level of reflection and meta communication. One must talk about that which one talks about, what one does not talk about, what one ought not talk about anymore and what one needs to talk about in the future. Only then can one gain influence on the so far supposedly simple ‘happening’ phenomenon and take conscious decisions about it.
These phenomena can lie on the factual, social or temporal dimension.