{"id":462,"date":"2017-10-30T18:42:37","date_gmt":"2017-10-30T18:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danielvlopes238992071.wordpress.com\/2017\/10\/30\/go-first-the-first-step-of-getting-feedback-at-work-starts-with-you\/"},"modified":"2024-10-11T12:05:46","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T19:05:46","slug":"go-first-the-first-step-of-getting-feedback-at-work-starts-with-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canopy.is\/blog\/2017\/10\/30\/go-first-the-first-step-of-getting-feedback-at-work-starts-with-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Go first: The first step of getting feedback at work starts with you"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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You can\u2019t expect people to give you honest feedback if you\u2019re not open with them first.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re at a swimming pool. The water looks nice. It\u2019s not quite<\/em> a warm enough day\u2026 But it\u2019s almost summer so why not jump in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want others to join you in the pool. (It\u2019s more fun that way!) So, you wander around and ask each of the pool loungers: \u201cHey, care to jump in the pool with me? The water looks warm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you think anyone jumps in, especially, if you\u2019re not in the pool yourself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I view the process of getting honest feedback<\/a> from employees the same way. If you want everyone in your company to be open and honest with you\u200a\u2014\u200aif you want everyone to jump into that swimming pool with you\u200a\u2014\u200ayou\u2019ve got to take the first dive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I call this \u201cgoing first\u201d as a leader. You must take the first step to show it\u2019s safe to speak up (particularly given that fear plays such a large role<\/a> in why employees don\u2019t give feedback). You must be forthcoming and candid with your employees first, as a leader. You can\u2019t expect someone else to do something if you don\u2019t do it yourself first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few ways to \u201cgo first\u201d as a leader and jump into that swimming pool to create a safe environment for employees to speak up\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Share what you\u2019re struggling with.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the best ways to \u201cgo first\u201d is by sharing something that you\u2019re struggling with. If this makes you feel a little vulnerable as a leader\u2026 that\u2019s a good thing! You\u2019re modeling the honesty that you\u2019re similarly looking for from an employee. As a result, you diffuse some of the anxiety and fear an employee may have about offering a critical opinion. An employee may now think, \u201cWell if she, my manager, is struggling with this, then I guess it\u2019s okay to share this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try saying this: <\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m struggling with\u2026<\/em>\u201d or \u201cCan you help me understand something that I\u2019m having trouble grasping?<\/em>\u201d or \u201cHey, I don\u2019t have all the answers\u2026”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Play devil\u2019s advocate with your own opinion.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another way to \u201cgo first\u201d as a leader is to challenge your own opinion in front of your team. The next time you\u2019re explaining a new idea, pose an opposing viewpoint to it yourself and then ask for feedback. By playing devil\u2019s advocate with your own opinion, you invite others to give dissenting viewpoints. When you\u2019re a contrarian to your own ideas, you give your team permission to be contrarian too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try saying this: <\/strong>\u201cI could also take a devil\u2019s advocate point-of-view and say ____. What do you think?<\/em>\u201d or \u201cAnother way to look at it is ____. Would you agree or disagree?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commend vulnerability when you see it.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoing first\u201d as a leader also means to positively reinforce the behavior you want to see. If you want meaningful, honest feedback<\/a> to be given to you more often, be sure to publicly recognize it when you do see it. A CEO who is a Canopy customer here in Chicago makes a point to do this every month during her company all-hands meeting. She\u2019ll publicly commend an employee for her vulnerability, and say, \u201cThank you for sharing an opinion that might not be popular. It\u2019s important.” <\/em>When you do this, you set the expectation that you want to hear frank, non-sugar-coated information in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try saying this: <\/strong>\u201cThat\u2019s a great thought\u200a\u2014\u200ay<\/em>our honesty is appreciated and important to the team\u2026<\/em>\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m so glad you\u2019re disagreeing with me. It\u2019s helping me understand a new perspective\u2026<\/em>\u201d or \u201cThank you for bringing that up. I\u2019m sure that was not an easy thing to share, so I value you doing that.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a leader, it\u2019s your<\/em> job is to make your employees feel as safe as possible to speak up. You can\u2019t sit back and ask other people to be candid and forthcoming without doing it yourself first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want others to jump into the pool of honesty and openness? Go first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For a deeper dive, be sure to check out our \u201cFeedback Loop<\/a>\u201d module in Canopy. The first few lessons are free \u2013 as are hundreds of daily tips. Try\u00a0Canopy<\/a><\/em>\u00a0for free, yourself, today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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