I tried something new. I asked for feedback on MY performance after concluding a staff member’s semi-annual review. Essentially asking “How am I doing?”
I explained my goal was to be a better boss and run a better company. And that what she thought mattered. Before she spoke I told her that I would not respond, defend or explain after she spoke. I also told her that she could not bring up past issues – but rather phrase everything as if we were improving my performance for the future. By speaking of the future, we are creating solutions – not rehashing the past with finger pointing and complaining. BTW, these guidelines were not my idea, I got this from a book I read “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There“).
So she began.
The feedback wasn’t earth shattering, life changing or didn’t make me cry – but it was very helpful. The issue that was on this person’s mind – lets call her… Krystal, was that she needed me to firmly establish who had final say in editing revisions for our monthly publication, the Edmond Outlook. She referenced several instances with our most recent issue where design revisions were proposed, completed and then changed back again – or – when certain clearly-marked copy revisions were not completed. Ok, so we slipped back into referencing the past – we didn’t do the exercise perfect. But she made her point.
With my lack of communication and a loosey goosey procedure exposed, I thanked her. I will work on that and this month after we publish I will ask her “How am I doing?” again.