Critical reflection in the workplace: is it just too difficult?

Abstract

PurposeThe intentions of this article are to contribute reflections of an empirical account of working with critical reflection within an organisational development programme, addressing the following questions: What space is there for critical reflection in organisational development? What issues are raised for in‐company developers and providers by advocating critical reflection in organisation practice?Design/methodology/approachA case study approach is taken, presenting an empirical account of a management and organisational development programme that integrated action learning and critical reflection.FindingsThe account illustrates difficulties of employing critical reflection within the workplace arising from the more complex power relations between the multiple stakeholders in a commercial context. In particular, dissonance provoked by critical reflection confronts the client with a tension over whether to see organisation members primarily as customers to please or as participants in a change process which inevitably will disrupt.Practical implicationsIn making sense of the perspectives of different stakeholders a model is presented to help practitioners in development of this kind to anticipate potential issues.Originality/valueThe paper presents a rare account of employing critical reflection in a work organisation development programme.

Reflexive spaces of appearance: rethinking critical reflection in the workplace

“…However, despite some limited success in terms of critical consciousness-raising in formal education settings (see, for example, Corley and Eades 2004;Cunliffe 2004;Lawless et al 2011;Sinclair 2007) and the occasional but rare empirical example of something similar in work settings (notably Brooks 1999;Rigg and Trehan 2008), critical reflection falls short of this ideal in practice (Fenwick 2005b, 36). This raises questions as to whether it is not just 'too difficult' to operate in a workplace (Rigg and Trehan 2008).…”

“…The impasse I wish to draw attention to arises on the one hand due to the normative aims of CHRD and on the other to how critical reflection actually fares in relation to enabling these to progress: for notwithstanding the reflexivity stated regarding the difficulty involved (Rigg and Trehan 2008;Sambrook and Willmott 2013;Sinclair 2007), the ethical implications (Fenwick 2005b) or the risks entailed (Trehan and Rigg 2005), this is still the underlying role assigned to critical reflection by CHRD scholars (see, for example, Monaghan and Cervero 2006;Rigg and Trehan 2008;Sambrook 2009).…”

“…As Collins (2013) writes, it is supposed to encourage 'application' (507) and engage practitioners so they might 'understand and change interpersonal and organisational practices' (Rigg and Trehan 2008, 374, my emphasis). Yet to date this meaning has not been shared by practitioners with their own diverse desires to pursue, which critical reflection could put at risk were its normative tenets to be actualized (Rigg and Trehan 2008;Sambrook and Willmott 2013).…”

El audiovisual Tutankamon como herramienta para la evaluación de la competencia transversal de pensamiento crítico y responsabilidad ética, medioambiental y profesional. Una experiencia en la Universitat Politècnica de València

“…Como señala Brookfield (1995), un pensamiento crítico es el proceso mediante el cual los adultos cuestionan y luego reemplazan o replantean una suposición que, hasta ese momento, se ha aceptado acríticamente como la sabiduría del sentido común, así como el proceso a través del cual los adultos toman perspectivas alternativas sobre ideas, acciones, formas de razonamiento e ideologías previamente dadas por hechas. El pensamiento crítico y la práctica reflexiva han ganado en los últimos años cada vez más validez en el aprendizaje y en la educación superior, en lugar del trabajo de estudio en general, particularmente en los campos de desarrollo profesional, administrativo y, también, en el de la gestión en las organizaciones (Rigg, 2008).…”

Is Narcissism Undermining Critical Reflection in Our Business Schools?

“…It suggests that the power that critical reflection is supposed to reveal (Reynolds, 1998;Rigg and Trehan, 2008;Vince, 2002) includes the power within reflection itself. Engagement in reflection is not just about power, it is power.…”