Right Attitudes » Ideas for Impact
» by Nagesh Belludi

Feedback is a critical component of our work. We need to understand whether our performance is in line with what is expected of us. We need to learn what we are doing well, what we need to change and how we could improve. We need help to discover opportunities to advance our careers.

One of the common grievances of professionals is that their managers rarely give them adequate feedback. Such feelings are not totally unfounded. Managers tend to be busy and choose to deliver feedback only during cursory performance reviews. And, instinctively, managers fear confrontation: they assume that their employees may respond to even the slightest of criticisms with anger, defensiveness and alienation. Employees, for their part, resent feedback because they hate being criticized.

This article suggests what you can do to become effective at getting feedback from your manager. I have shared this process with several professionals who have successfully adopted it to develop effective relationships with their managers.

Soliciting Feedback

• Setup regular meetings with your manager to seek feedback. Do not wait for the quarterly or annual performance reviews to solicit feedback.
• Prepare and send an agenda to your manager at least one day prior to your meeting. Use the questions in the following section to guide your discussions and agenda. Tailor the questions to suit your unique projects and goals. Cover all the important topics on a regular basis.
• Assure your manager that her opinions and suggestions matter and that you will listen and act on them. You need not necessarily agree to every assessment. Be open; do not become defensive or get angry. If you must disagree, do so politely. Offer your opinions using phrases such as “Could it be because …,” “how about …,” or “perhaps, another way to look at this is ….”
• Ask for specific examples. Take down notes. Conclude the meeting by thanking your manager. Affirm that you will develop and share with her a plan of action.
• Review your notes from the meeting. Look for patterns in her comments and suggestions. In a day or two, develop and send her a plan of action.

Ten Topics to Solicit Feedback On

1. “How am I doing on project or goal X? What can I do differently to be more effective?
2. “My most important projects or goals are X, Y and Z. Do you think I have the priorities right?
3. “Do I meet your expectations in keeping you updated on the progress on project X? How can I organise information better to help you understand my projects and our achievements?
4. “What goals do you see for me on project X (or over the next N months?) How will you measure me against these goals?
5. “What strengths do I bring into your team? What personal skills will enable me to grow and contribute better?
6. “How do you see my career developing in this organisation or function over the long-term? What suggestions do you have for me to prepare for such opportunities?
7. “What steps do you suggest for me to broaden my exposure to our functional area and build my skills? What specific steps can I take to broaden my perspective in our functional area? What key challenges will I face meeting my goals?
8. “What can I do to expand my role? May I assume any additional responsibilities?
9. “What are your goals for the immediate future? What are the most important projects and initiatives for your team? What opportunities do you see for me to support your goals?
10. “How do you think our organization and customers will change in the future? What opportunities do you see? What challenges will we face? How will our roles change? How can we prepare? What is our management’s perspective on the future?”

Concluding Thoughts

This article suggests an informal and effective process to solicit feedback from your manager. By taking the initiative, asking the right questions and proactively soliciting feedback, you can recognize and adapt to your manager’s and the organisation’s expectations of you and discover prospects for larger responsibilities and promotions.

Your manager will appreciate your eagerness to openly communicate, improve, adapt, and contribute further. She will be more forthcoming to share her assessment of your work and offer suggestions for improvement.

By understanding your manager’s expectations and priorities, you can secure the support and resources you need to achieve your goals. Keeping your manager informed helps foster dependability and build a stronger, mutually-beneficial working relationship that benefits you, your manager and the organization.

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• Never surprise your boss
• Four keys to an excellent relationship with your boss

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