This paper examines Ann L. Cunliffe's concept of critically reflexive practice and its application to real-world leadership and management. Drawing on Cunliffe's 2004 article "On Becoming a Critically Reflexive Practitioner," the paper explores how effective managers must develop self-awareness, recognize the subjective nature of truth, and learn to see situations from multiple perspectives — including those of subordinates and customers. The author connects these theoretical ideas to personal career experiences in the automotive and bus manufacturing industries, tracing a gradual shift from a directive leadership style to a more empathetic, reflective one. The paper concludes by emphasizing the ongoing importance of deliberate self-reflection in modern leadership.
The paper demonstrates applied theory synthesis: the author reads a single scholarly source carefully, extracts its core claims, and tests them against personal professional experience. Rather than simply summarizing Cunliffe, the writer evaluates which aspects of the theory resonate, identifies where earlier knowledge of the framework might have changed outcomes, and connects specific theoretical constructs (such as the relative nature of truth and journaling as reflection) to distinct career moments. This technique is especially useful in management and education courses that require reflective writing grounded in course readings.
The paper opens with a theoretical overview of Cunliffe's reflexivity framework, then moves to its relevance in a sales context, followed by a personal narrative tracing leadership growth at Mercedes-Benz. The fourth section applies reflexive principles to a current managerial role as an Area Export Manager. The paper closes by revisiting Cunliffe's methods — particularly journaling — and translating them into practical habits for ongoing leadership development.
According to Ann L. Cunliffe (2004) in her article "On Becoming a Critically Reflexive Practitioner," effective managerial practice demands an existential understanding of the implications of leadership that goes beyond conventional business theory of what "works" and what "doesn't work" in practice. The manager must have a clear understanding of who he or she is and the effect he or she has upon others. There is no single way to manage, and the process is highly dependent upon the social context in which the manager's decisions are taking place.
Critically reflexive practice also requires that the leader understand that two people do not always inhabit the same reality — they perceive the world differently based on their past experiences. When a leader is giving advice to a subordinate or a colleague, there is no objective "truth." Rather, both parties will view the world and the problem from their own unique perspectives. This challenges conventional managerial literature, which tends to portray managers as always knowing the right way to proceed and needing only to overcome potential resistance from followers to fulfill organizational goals. Reflexive practice counsels us that managers can also learn from followers.
The relative nature of truth is also manifested in the realities of the sales field. Experience in sales teaches that a manager must try to see the world from the customer's perspective, not simply from his or her own vantage point. That is why keeping market data on customer perceptions and buying habits is so important. No good sales manager could say: "I base all of my decisions upon my own personal beliefs." Rather, the manager must abandon cherished assumptions about what he or she desires — or what "common sense" wisdom suggests, or even past data alone — and try to understand the minds of customers while projecting into the future.
Over the course of a career in the automotive industry, it is possible to slowly become a more reflexive practitioner, which in turn improves both career outcomes and managerial style. After more than fourteen years at Mercedes-Benz, a clear pattern of growth emerges. In the early years, the tendency is to tell subordinates what to do rather than explaining why they need to do something. Many new managers believe that demonstrating leadership means appearing strong at all times, and consequently struggle to relax and share information with their teams — yet that sharing is essential for building rapport between a manager and his or her employees. A manager is not simply someone who knows what to do; the manager must also know how to make other people want to do it.
Cunliffe describes reflexivity as noticing the small details of life — sometimes, even something as mundane as how you cross your arms can go unnoticed until you stop and think. When assessing one's own performance, it becomes possible to understand which aspects of a subordinate's behavior are most frustrating — such as a poor attitude or lack of work ethic — and to recognize that these problems are only exacerbated by a directive, "telling" leadership style. Once a manager begins to relax, build confidence, and see the world from employees' perspectives, meaningful change can begin.
In a role at a bus manufacturing company that requires constant interaction with both clients and fellow employees, the demands of reflexive practice become especially clear. As an Area Export Manager for the Levant Area (Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon), one is responsible for the sales of all buses to the region. This requires continually asking: What impression am I making? What do my customers want? The persona a manager projects must inspire confidence, and understanding the specific details of a customer's needs is essential. Critical reflexivity about who one is as both a leader and a representative of the company is therefore not optional — it is a prerequisite for effectiveness.
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