Warning: who you see in the mirror is not who other people see.
We’re biased, we can’t see ourselves clearly, and it can work against us. So let’s ask some experts. (Warning-don’t try this at home.)
What do your best customers and best employees think about you? Have you asked them lately?
Do you have a formal (and regular) process to seek this important feedback? If not, how do you calibrate yourself?
With Marshall Goldsmith’s permission, here are his three basic questions for coaching someone, and they are useful for asking for feedback from your key clients and employees:
- What does Lola do well?
- What could Lola improve in order to provide more value or better service to you?
- If you were Lola’s coach, what would you tell her?
Asking these questions will generate some very specific and valuable information on you and your business.
When you receive the feedback, the only appropriate response, according to Dr. Goldsmith, is to say “Thank you.” Don’t debate it, get defensive, explain it, or ask for more information.
After you receive the response, you can evaluate it, prioritize, look for patterns, ignore it, or determine how you are going to respond to what you have learned. In other words, you need to take action.
After all, you asked for the feedback. Now it’s up to you.
Thank you.
Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Phil Symchych
