The Need For Feedback

As a busy professional constantly balancing schedules, deadlines, and priorities while dealing with a vast variety of personalities, there is an often-neglected resource that can make the difference between success and failure and conducting business with relative strangers or trusted partners.

The resource is feedback-- and it's a marketing tool worth its weight in gold if mined consistently and effectively.

While many professionals spend time assimilating, assessing, and acting upon information after a project or event, relatively little time is spent reviewing, reevaluating, and reorganizing information during the project or event. Those who want to stay ahead in this ever-changing information age not only see constant and comprehensive feedback as a luxury but a necessity.

Take the initiative.
Most people mistakenly assume that feedback will automatically appear on their desk or in their e-mail. While they sit on their hands waiting and wondering, more insightful and opportunistic professionals know that most feedback has to be extracted, digested, and analyzed.

Don't leave the responsibility to others. This is your job, so take the initiative. You have too much to lose if you don't get feedback and much to gain if you do.

Ask the Right People the Right Questions.
Too many times we solicit feedback from the wrong people with questions that are too vague and we end up with gossip and guesswork.

It's your responsibility to phrase your questions so others understand the content and scope of your request. Do you want general or detailed comments? Suggestions for the future or complaints about the past? Overall opinions or information on a few select areas?

The more focused your requests, the more precise, comprehensive, and helpful their responses will be.

Queue Up with Smart Questions.
After you have initiated the feedback and sought out the right people, interpret and analyze what they’ve said. Does their feedback need your feedback?

“I was expecting more help from your support staff” or “I didn’t follow all the points of your presentation” are potentially helpful comments, but they need further explanation.

Was your staff unavailable? Unwilling to help? Or unaware they were needed?
Did you need to provide additional information in your presentation? Define things more clearly? Bring demos?

If you don’t probe deeper into unclear feedback, you’ll be left with mere complaints.

As with Medicine, Apply Liberally to the Affected Area..
After you solicit and understand specific feedback, evaluate it in light of your personal goals and methods.

Is it an accurate assessment or a subjective opinion? Is the person in a position to know what he or she is talking about? Is a change in your style or method worth the effort? Will this change contribute to your long-term personal or professional growth?

Granted, not all feedback is created equal. But don’t just stand there, do something. Evaluate. Reconsider. Modify. Reaffirm. But do something!


ARTICLE TAGLINE FOR DIANNA BOOHER

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© Dianna Booher, Booher Consultants, Inc.
Author of 42 books (Simon & Schuster/Pocket, Warner, and McGraw-Hill), Dianna Booher, CSP, CPAE, delivers keynotes, breakout sessions, and training on communication and life-balance issues. Her latest books: Speak with Confidence®, Your Signature Life®, Your Signature Work®, E-Writing, and Communicate with Confidence®. For more information on Dianna and her programs, visit www.diannabooher.com or contact her firm, Booher Consultants, Inc., at 800-342-6621.

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