Seek & You Will Find (Don’t just be open to feedback, seek it, expect it, demand it)

Happy New Year! A great time to think about getting better results this year than last. (Shouldn’t be too hard – thanks 2020).

I’m running a new programme now called ‘Accountability Builder‘. There’s a lot of good stuff in it around how our results are driven by beliefs and some practical things anyone can do to reshape beliefs and thus achieve new and improved results. It’s focused on ownership and positivity. One element that’s creating a few strained expressions on people’s faces as they get their heads around the concept is…

… asking for feedback.

My participants have no problem with feedback per se. They understand and agree how it benefits everyone to know what’s expected of them and how they’re doing in moving towards those expectations. It’s like the scoreboard in sports, or laughter when telling a joke (or the absence of laughter). It’s useful information upon which to adjust or maintain our course.

My participants are already at a leadership level and many are senior and experienced. They have zero problem delivering feedback TO OTHERS.

There is a smaller but still reasonably sized subset of folks who are totally open to feedback FROM others. It might feel uncomfortable but you don’t rise to their level in organisations without doing more of the good stuff and less of the bad. Feedback from others is gold really and, if others felt inclined to provide it, they’re ready to listen.

A tiny fraction of people have a routine and habitual practice of regularly seeking feedback from others. They INITIATE and ASK. Sure, they frame it a bit the first few times so it’s not too weird. Because for many people, both parties, someone actually asking for performance feedback at work, is weird. But, with practice, it feels less weird over time, and with improved performance thanks to that feedback, the incentive to continue kicks in soon enough.

It’s just those first two or three times.

If you can model this yourself and bring your team along for the ride, you will accelerate your development and your performance improvement.

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More at www.terrywilliams.info