Most people operate on an assumption that what they think of themselves is what others think of them. However, this is far from the truth.
We approximately spend nine hours of our day at work. It is pretty obvious that your co-workers end up becoming like family members. Different people come with different personalities so we need to accommodate these personalities in order to co-exist peacefully.
Most people operate on an assumption that what they think of themselves is what others think of them. However, this is far from the truth because we lack the fundamental basis of self-awareness, hence collecting feedback is crucial.
Leadership coach Kristi Hedges, author of The Power of Presence: Unlock Your Potential to Influence and Engage others, outlined how to do this in Harvard Business Review. You should be emotionally prepared to receive feedback no matter the outcome, which is either positive or negative. Here are simple steps you can follow to get feedback:
- The first step is to select five people from all walks of life in your career and ask for face to face meetings.
2. Be clear that whatever information you receive will be confidential, this encourages honesty.
3. Getting honest feedback is like finding the holy grail, however painful it might be to receive it.
4. Do not cut them short by trying to give a version of your story. Communication goes both ways; active listening is key. Listen to understand don’t listen in order to give a response.
5. Takedown notes on all the feedback you have received and try to figure out if there is a pattern or something common from the information you have gathered.
6. Above all, remember to say thank you!
You are six steps away from becoming a better colleague. It is important to work on the feedback you receive in order to improve how you interact with people. Taking this information positively improves your attitude and makes you self-aware.
This article was first posted on Fuzu.
