Two Great Questions

From my inbox courtesy Walk the Talk's Leadership Lessons... I loved the two questions below.

Weekly tips to help you and your colleagues become more effective and respected leaders.

Today's Topic: Ask for Feedback

Two of the most important keys to job success are: 1) Keep doing the things you do well (your strengths), and 2) Correct the things you don’t do so well (your weaknesses) – a.k.a. “developmental opportunities.” And in order to do both of those, you need to know exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are. To be sure, you’ll want to periodically do a self-assessment on where you stand.

But the best and most accurate information on your performance must come from others – from your boss, your coworkers, and your customers. If you happen to work in an organization where feedback is frequently provided to you, great! You’re fortunate. Pay attention to what you hear and ACT on the information. If you’re like most folks, however, you’ll need more performance evaluation data than is given to you. That means you’ll have to ASK for it. Make a habit of posing the How am I doing? question to someone at least once a month. Solicit information from your manager, a trusted coworker, or a customer you’re serving. To pinpoint specific areas to work in, try asking:

“What one or two things can I do to be more successful?”
“What can I do to serve you better in the future?”

You’ll be amazed at how many people will be more than willing to tell you what you need to hear. And when they do, be sure to thank them. They truly will have given you a gift.

Today’s lesson is from Start Right...Stay Right: Every Employee's Straight-Talk Guide to Job Success