Good Window Bad Mirror: The Relationship Between Personal Insight and Professional Success

By Delroy Constantine-Simms

The underlying theme of this book “Good Window Bad Mirror” is founded on two platforms, self-insight and success at work.  The contributions in this book contain a mixture of article which essentially suggests, that when it comes to finding the answers to our success or challenges in the work place, ado

• Language: English
• Publisher: Think Doctor Publications
• Release date: Nov 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781684180462

Delroy Constantine-Simms

Delroy Constantine Simms C. Psychol; MSc Occupational and Organizational Psychology; BA (Hons) Social Sciences; BSc (Hons) Psychology; Constantine-Simms has previously taught sociology, psychology, at the Open University; The University of Stirling; Westminster College; and Barnet College. He is also a freelance print and photo journalist, whose work has been published in The Voice Newspaper, Black Britain, The Post, The Gleaner, Miami Times, The Amsterdam News, Pride Magazine. His photos have been distributed through photo agencies such as Demotix, Corbis and Getty images. He is a regular contributor on several radio and TV stations, including the BBC, Channel Four, BBC Radio 1, Three Counties Radio, and has been featured in the Guardian and cited in the Mirror, The Evening Standard, The Metro, Constantine-Simms has presented academic papers in Germany, South Africa, The USA, Jamaica, Gambia, and Ethiopia on a variety of psychology and sociology related topics.He is also the recipient of the 2001 Lambda Book Award for Best Anthology (The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities). Mst recently, received two Black Excellence Awards (Middle East) Best Photographer Award (2021), and Best Author Award (2021) after writing and editing two consequential books, #Take A Knee Political Awakening of Colin Kaepernick, and The Brazilian Covid Catastrophe. He currently lives in the United Arab Emirates.See https://www.betterhelp.com/delroy-constantine-simms/

Book preview

About The Editor

Delroy Constantine-Simms is a UK registered Counselling Psychologist and a qualified Therapeutic Career Coach. Constantine-Simms has previously edited the following books and Co-edited Teachers for the Future (1995) The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001) Hip Hop Had a Dream: Vol. 1 the Artful Movement (2008) Constantine-Simms is the recipient of the 2001 Lambda Award for Best Anthology for his book: The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001). He is also as freelance print and photojournalist, whose work is regularly submitted and distributed by photo agencies such as Corbis Images and Demotix. His articles and images have appeared in British and international publications such as the Word (Canada) The Big Issue, The Guardian, The Voice Newspaper, Miami Times, and many other publications. He is currently pursuing part time academic study at the University of Oxford (UK)  

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Table of Contents

About The Editor

Preface

Introduction

Do You Have The Right Attitude?

Thinking Like A Child

Self Perception

Searching For Self

Self Discoveries

Developing Self

Looking Outside In

Flowing Inside

The Weak Self

Do You Understand Your Own Behaviour?

That Breakthrough Moment

Cognitive Preparation

Building Confidence

Going Through Change

The Leader Within

Understanding Differences

Dismiss and Ignore

Self Examination

We All Got Issues

Keep It Real

Self Selecting

Self Promotion

Your Attitude Is Your Shadow

Competency Is Key

What Type Of Leader Are You?

A Mind With a View

Internal Programming

Learning Is A Gift

The Negative Self

Mental Exploration

Continuous Research

Continuous Self Development

How To Spend Your Professional Life

Ratifying Personal Changes

Goal Setting

Preface

The best way to understand this book Good Window Bad Mirror is through Roger Darlington’ story called Meeting of the Minds The story begins with a young man called Martin, who was returning to work in his London office after spending two weeks with his brother over in New York. He was coming back with a heavy heart. It was not just that it was the end of a wonderful holiday; it was not just that he invariably suffered badly from jet lag; it was that Monday mornings always began with a team meeting and, over the months, he had grown to hate them. Martin was aware that colleagues approached these meetings with hidden agendas; they indulged in game-playing; and he knew that people were not being honest and open. The meetings themselves were bad enough - but then there was all the moaning afterwards. The usual people saying the usual things. I could have improved on that idea, but I wasn't going to say. I was thinking of making a suggestion - but I couldn't be bothered.As this morning's meeting began, Martin braced himself for the usual moroseness and monotony. But, as the meeting progressed, he became aware of a strange background noise. At first, he thought that he was still hearing the engine noise from the aircraft that had brought him back to London - he had had to sit over the wing and the droning was terrible. But, as he concentrated on the noise, it became a little clearer. He realised - to his amazement - that he could hear what his colleagues were thinking as well as what they were saying. As he concentrated still harder, he found that he could actually hear what they were thinking at the same time as they were speaking. What surprised him, even more than the acquisition of this strange power, was that he discovered that what people were saying was not really what they were thinking. They were not making clear their reservations. They were not supporting views which they thought might be unpopular. They were not contributing their new insights. They were not volunteering their new ideas. Martin found it impossible not to respond to his new knowledge. So he started to make gentle interventions, based more on what he could hear his colleagues thinking than on what he could hear them saying. "So, John are you really saying .. Susan,Do you really think that Tom, Have you got an idea on how we could take this forward?" He was aware that his colleagues were unsettled by how insightful were these interventions. They looked at him mystified. In truth, he felt rather proud of his newly-acquired talent. Emboldened now, Martin forgot his usual misery at participating in such meetings and began making comments of his own. However, he became aware that some of his colleagues were looking at him quizzically. One or two even had a gentle smile playing on their lips. Only gradually did it dawn on him - they could hear his thoughts and he was not really saying what he was thinking. As the meeting progressed, Martin became aware of changes to the tone and style of the event. It was clear to him now that, one by one, each member of the meeting was learning how to hear the thoughts of all the others and this was subtly changing how they inter-acted with one another. The game-playing started to fall away; people started to speak more directly; views became better understood; the atmosphere became more open and trusting. The meeting ended. As people left the room, Martin found that he could still hear what they were thinking. That was the best meeting we've ever had. All meetings should be like that. "In future, I'm going to say what I think".

Introduction

The underlying theme of this book "Good Window Bad Mirror" is founded on two platforms, self-insight and success at work.  The contributions in this book contain a mixture of article which essentially suggests, that when it comes to finding the answers to our success or challenges in the work place, adopting an introspective, self-reflective approach is essential. Furthermore, Good Window Bad Mirror" encourages readers to assess their professional and personal thought processes and traits by using a variety of personality and behavioural tools as part of the self-questioning, self-reflecting, introspective approach. The reasoning behind this suggestion, is that we have to acknowledge that more often than not, we are often unaware of the variables that may be responsible for enhancing or hindering our professional success.  While Good Window Bad Mirror" implores readers to be professionally introspective, it’s easier said than done, because it invites readers to look at their flaws and faults, which many prefer to ignore, deny or even minimize. This book could easily follow the personal development route and adopt the usual motivational and inspirational approach, by suggesting that readers merely need to think successful in order be successful in life and the work place, which is extremely important and valid in so many cases.  The emphasis on professional insight in this