It can be difficult to face the aspects of ourselves that aren’t working well. To be effective in our work and in our relationships with others, however, we need to be able to hear and acknowledge both our strengths (complimentary feedback) and weaknesses (constructive criticism). If we are to accomplish the dual goals of developing our best selves and contributing our best in business, then each of us must seek out genuine feedback and be open to responding to the information that we get in return.
As we proceed throughout our careers, we tend to develop a working style that is influenced by personality, habits, experiences, perceptions, and modeling from others (rightly or wrongly). Some aspects of our personality might be difficult to change, but we need to understand the impact on others and the negative consequences of not dealing with them.
We know that not listening to and acting upon feedback from others is a detriment to relationships, and can eclipse the emergence of new or alternative ideas. It can also contribute to increased turnover, a very costly consequence to the employer. Managers who feel the need to be “right” might choose to be defensive or otherwise justify their behavior. Those desiring to become more effective managers, however, will take time to consider and act upon the input of others.
Companies today are more frequently implementing 360-degree feedback programs. This process is designed to solicit information about individuals from multiple sources in an attempt to get an honest assessment of their strengths and developmental needs. While this “opening up” of the assessment process can be threatening to some, it is in fact one of the most objective ways for a person to be evaluated. The input is gathered from managers, co-workers, subordinates, and sometimes customers or vendors as well. This gives a well-rounded perspective about a person’s performance and style.
The recipient of the 360 may be more likely to “hear” recurring themes about their behavior from multiple sources rather than a single source, which can be justified away rather easily. Frequently, corrective feedback is about an aspect of communications or interpersonal skills, or it might be about a working or management style. Managers who perceive themselves as “decisive,” for instance, might discover that others see them as aggressive or exclusionary. Managers who consider themselves involved and hands-on might find out that others perceive them as “micro managers.”
These kinds of revelations can feel embarrassing or overwhelming to the person being receiving the feedback. It can also make them feel very vulnerable or exposed. The manager or human resource professional giving the feedback needs to be sensitive to this, and offer specific strategies and positive support to help the person to change their undesirable or ineffective behaviors. This can be accomplished with a professional development plan, which can include training, monitoring, counseling, mentoring, and the use of an external coach or a combination of these.
It is important to remember that our self-perception is frequently different from those who work with, for, and around us on a day-to-day basis. For those who are uncomfortable receiving necessary feedback, the challenge is to listen without “filters” or judgments, and be open and non-defensive to the input of others. This is not easy, but being committed to listening to and acting upon constructive feedback will lead to healthier relationships and being a more effective team member, supervisor or manager.
