The art of asking for feedback - Ep. 5

I’m fairly sure there is a running joke amongst my reports that goes something like this. You know a 1:1 with Ale is over when he asks you: “Do you have any feedback for me?” 😆 

I admit it. I do ask for feedback very often at the end of 1:1s. Most of the time I get a condescending “here he goes again…” smile and then the 1:1 ends.

But every once in a while my request reminds the person sitting in front of me that I really pissed them off. Or that they disagreed with me a couple of days before. Or whatever else they forgot/didn’t want to share. My prompt acts as a trigger and now the genie is out of the bottle.

The lesson here is that there is too much going on in people’s lives for them to remember to give you feedback on their own. So, if you really want feedback, it is on you to keep on asking. Do this without expecting anything back. As a gentle reminder.

99% of the time you won’t get anything back but 1% of the time you’ll strike gold.

This was the fifth (and final) post in a series dedicated to requesting feedback when you really want it. Read to the first, second, third, and fourth posts.

No time to read? Here is what you should do when you really want feedback:

• Create a culture where giving feedback is rewarded as real work

• Give people time to think about your work

• Make it easy for people to give you feedback

• Give a way for people to leave you anonymous feedback

• Keep asking people for feedback over and over again

-Ale

P.S. What did you think about this post? Reply to let me know. You can also leave me anonymous feedback.