How to Harness the Power of Feedback
We never really know how well we are communicating if we don’t show that we welcome feedback. People are often afraid to speak their minds if they perceive what they are thinking may not be in line with what you are thinking. Instead, you just get a weak agreement with your thoughts.
Unfortunately, while that might make you feel good, it doesn’t go very far toward getting a wide range of ideas. And it is a wide range of ideas that ultimately leads to sound decisions.
Assuming you aren’t just making the decisions you make so you can be the hero, or show that you know what’s best for everyone in any given situation, then there are some things you can do to let people know you welcome feedback.
- Publish it. Whenever you respond to an email, or write a memo where you are trying to get people to offer suggestions or feedback, don’t forget to ask for it.
- Speak it. In meetings, on the phone, or in one-to-one talks break out four simple words: “What do you think?”
- Recognize it. Let people know you received it and thank them. Then, go one step further and when feedback leads to great things, highlight it so others know it is valued.
Thoughts are the life blood of any company but people need to know they are welcomed and valued.
