What is your best asset as a Leader? Is it money? Power? Guess again. It’s your team! Those faithful and loyal bodies that show up everyday to contribute to your bottom line. But, have you ever taken the time to listen to what they have to say about your business?
So, if you want to strengthen your business where results are contributed to by what you team has to say about them, apply these 5 steps and watch your business benefit in more ways than you can imagine!
STEP 1: Encourage Open Dialogue.
Make yourself available and approachable to your team. Encourage dialogue by starting it. Ask questions, ask opinions, and most importantly, sit back and take the time to listen. This encourages collaborative discussions, and establishes an openness to diversity in the workplace. Everybody wins here!
STEP 2: Constructive Feedback.
Shoot to aim! So, encourage feedback that is focused on specific issues or projects where your team can contribute to some real changes that can help in how things get executed.
STEP 3: Give Enough Notice to Contribute.
Do not put people on the spot! If you want honest and constructive feedback, people need to feel comfortable in doing so. If someone prefers to do it “one-on-one” then allow them to access you where they feel comfortable (your office, at a coffee shop etc.) Many people appreciate being given time to be thoughtful in responding, so allow for that.
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STEP 4: Show Genuine Interest.
If you ask for it, then listen to it!! If your team takes the time and effort to give you feedback, let them see it matters. Actively listen, take notes, and don’t interrupt! Your team will start to feel more comfortable and at ease to speak their mind. If they do, they will then feel encouraged to continue contributing perhaps in a greater way than expected.
STEP 5: A Call to Action.
Now what do you do? Well, in order for your team to realize that you have paid attention you have to put into place the feedback you’ve been given. Nothing inspires greater confidence in you as a leader than a team who gets proof you’ve heard what they had to say.
Put these steps into motion and watch how your team changes how they interact with one another, feels about the work they are doing, and how they feel about you as a leader. They will know they matter and not only are they dependent upon the tasks at hand, but actually have a say in it. This creates a more personal investment on their part and that they not only work for you but with you, through thick and thin.
Applying these steps to create a successful feedback system isn’t always easy. You might not always hear what you want to hear but it’s important you are prepared for whatever ensues. Book a complimentary 30-minutes session with me before you put this in action and I can help you prepare for feedback success.
