You have an instinctive, analytical ability to evaluate the historical context of a situation in order to predict the likelihood of an event repeating itself.

Checking the rearview mirror is essential for safe driving. You insist that before a decision should be made, a full understanding of what has gone before is needed. In this way you ensure that situations are not inadvertently (and unnecessarily) repeated by doing things that in the past have been proven not to work.

You create insight and wisdom. You ensure that the trends and lessons of the past can be used to create the tools of the future. You remind us that we only ever have to learn something once.

Studying history;

to understand the factors that have led to my current reality;

to ensure that I don't make the same mistakes twice.

Recognise and value key points in history for the powerful lessons they represent;

take care in their decision making and pause to reflect;

value my perspective.

Rushing any decision;

speculating about the future without having a chance to consider the past.

When decisions are made without consideration of the context;

I cannot find the cause of a problem I am experiencing today;

I am forced to act on a decision that I believe will repeat a previous.

Being more concerned with the past than the future.

Enrol me in your thinking by giving me some background to the situation and why you think the proposed course of action is necessary.

Allow me to ask questions;

Be patient while I try and understand for myself what information needs to be taken into consideration before the current decision can be made.

You look to the past to understand the present.

You can naturally see patterns that emerge from your studies of history.

You learn best when you place what is to be learned into the context of other important dynamics and the history of what you are learning.

You may feel disoriented when you can’t see patterns stemming from the past, and others may become impatient with you as you strive to build an understanding of life’s many complexities.

You may be perceived as 'plodding' because you want to understand how we got to where we are.

Look to the past to build a better tomorrow. Read historical novels, nonfiction, or biographies. You will discover many insights to help you understand the present.

Help your organization strengthen its culture via folklore. For example, collect symbols and stories that represent the best of the past. When a problem occurs, ask your colleagues to identify the actions and other factors that led to it.

Having learned from the situation, your colleagues will be equipped to make choices that lead to better outcomes in the future. Find a mentor who has a long history in your community or organization. Listening to his or her experiences will likely spark your thought processes and accelerate your learning.

Accept change. Remember that the Context theme does not equate with 'living in the past.' Instead, you can become known as an agent for positive change.

Because you are always looking back and looking for reasons to explain everything, it is easy to get stuck if you cannot find a suitable reason. At some stage there is nothing to learn from or appreciate about the past - it just is what it is. Realise too that the future is determined by the decisions you make today, irrespective of the lessons of the past.

Watch out for: Finding reasons where there are none simply because you need reasons.

When is it alright to make a future decision based on today rather than yesterday?