Hello,
Today I have a question that I would like to answer, and this is a great question. How can leaders get authentic feedback from almost anyone? Well, it isn't easy to get real feedback that can actually help you. And the reason I say it's not easy is for two reasons, firstly, because people aren't willing to say the real thing to you, and secondly, you aren't ready to accept the real feedback. So before you go out there to get some authentic feedback from your boss, your peers, your colleagues, or your direct reports. I want you to ask yourself two questions. Question number one, why do I want that feedback? And question number two, do I really want to improve now?
In my experience, there are hundred wrong ways to ask for feedback and one right way to get it. Now most of us know the wrong ways. And that's why we ask people questions like, "Oh, what do you think of me as your peer?" Or "How do you think about my work?", "What do you feel about my work?", "What do you hate about me?", "What do you like about me?" Well, just think about it. How many of the people around you are really going to express to you their true feelings when you ask such questions?
No one wants to be called judgmental. No one would like to be criticised later for what they said about you and specifically if you are you know if you are their boss or you are asking to your boss. They don't want to bother you and irritate you and and make you feel bad with their answers.
A better question could be, "What can I do better in?" and then fill in the blank. So you just need to pick up one area or a behaviour that you want to bring about to change and then ask that question. "What can I do better as your leader or as a communicator", or "What can I do better as a team member?". Now, more than often when you ask a question like this, people feel that their opinion is important. They feel privileged to be asked and for most of the time.
I can almost assure you, you can be getting authentic feedback. So when you ask a question like this, you tend to get better answers. And there are many questions like this which I tell my clients to ask people around them so that they can get get honest answers that can help them to grow. And then of course it's up to you how you take that feedback and how you act upon it.
Your Good Friend + Mentor
Payal Nanjiani
Leadership Expert | Author| Executive Coach
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