The ABCs of useful feedback

Feedback is essential for growth and development. The only way to grow is to receive feedback that works.

'Humble aspiration craves useful feedback.'

Julie Winkle Giulioni recently published, The ABCs of Soliciting and Accepting Feedback. The below is adapted her approach below.

Abilities

1. What do you see me doing when I’m most energized?
2. What strengths or skills enable my most important contribution?
3. What can you always count on me for? Giulioni

Blind Spots

1. How might I get in my own way?
2. How might my strengths work against me? Giulioni
3. What am I missing? (Put this in a context like leading meetings.)

Conditions

1. What do I complain about?
2. What’s happening when I’m at my best?
3. What situations seem to drain me? Energize me?

Tip: Adapt the above questions when you give feedback. For example, “You seem most energized when you ________.” Include the follow-up, “What makes that so energizing for you?”

7 ways to overcome distraction

 Great tips!

1. Establish “no respond” hours in your office.

You can’t do important work and respond immediately to email and text. In other words, expecting immediate responses trains people to spend time on trivialities and urgencies.

2. Use the stuffed dragon method.

Give everyone in your office a stuffed dragon. Put the dragon on your desk or in front of your door when you’re doing priority work.

You invite interruption when you leave your door open. Give everyone permission to carve out uninterrupted work time.

3. Turn off notifications.

4. Keep a notebook on your desk.

Don’t chase random thoughts, record them.

5. Stop making everything a priority.

Any boss who believes everything is a priority has a team that can’t focus.

Deadlines often establish priorities. All assignments need a deadline. The next time you assign a task, discuss and establish a deadline.

6. Discuss commitments.

Over-commitment is distraction.

Don’t make new commitments without discussing your current commitment-load.

“I have these five commitments. Where would you like me to place this new commitment?”

7. Schedule a five-minute buffer.

Schedule five minutes between meetings. Take a breath, a short-walk, or just put your feet up.

One person closes their door and turns the lights off in their office for a few minutes.

You will get more done if you don’t run from one task to the next.

Others control your time when you rush from one urgency to the next!