The higher up you move in an organization, the more you must proactively ask for opinions from your direct reports to get valuable input on your ideas or leadership. If you do not play it right, as the new boss, people will laugh a little harder at your bad jokes and agree a little too much with your plans for fear of diminishing their relationship with you.
Here's how to get real feedback that matters:
- Ask Openly. Do not assume your team will willingly provide constructive feedback. You need to ask for it using open-ended questions and show genuine curiosity about their perspectives.
- Ask Anonymously. If you are having trouble getting authentic feedback (or even if you are not), consider using an anonymous 360 degree survey to gather advice and input.
- Embrace it. If you are lucky enough to receive the gift of feedback from your team, accept it graciously. Do not get defensive. Put all of your energy toward understanding and appreciating the feedback and doing something visible with the information.
