Dear Lewis: How often should I ask feedback from my directs?
ManageBetter's CEO, Lewis C. Lin, helps a Fortune 500 exec who's wondering how often she should be asking for feedback.
Here we are again, my friends, back for another installment of Dear Lewis. This time a Fortune 500 exec ponders the delicate dance of finding the right balance in asking for feedback.
Keep striving for greatness,
Lewis C. Lin
How often should I ask feedback from my direct reports?
Dear Lewis,
I'm a senior director at a large Fortune 500 company, and I'm questioning my feedback process:
My boss, Sarah, asks for feedback every 3 days from her directs.
I follow HR guidelines, asking my directs for feedback every six months.
I'm torn between getting frequent feedback and not overwhelming my team. Can you offer advice on finding the right balance?
Sincerely,
Balancing Act Bonnie
Dear Bonnie, Balancer of Acts,
First off, hats off to Sarah. She's out there, stirring the pot, asking for feedback from her team as often as some people change their socks. It's a brave move, really. It's not easy inviting the potential for criticism, but she's doing it, and it's clear she's committed to fostering a culture where everyone's voice matters.
Life's this tightrope walk between being proactive and suffocating your team with requests. Sarah might be veering towards the latter. It's like eating too much ice cream - it's great in small doses, but too much and you're bound to get a brain freeze. Or in this case, feedback fatigue.
You see, human behavior change is a bit like watching paint dry. It's slow and often unnoticeable in the short term. Even the most eager beavers need time to adjust and adapt. So, asking for feedback every three days might be like trying to rush the drying process with a hairdryer. It's not going to yield better results, and it might even lead to some cracks in the paint.
And let's not forget the pressure it puts on your team. It's like asking them to bake a fresh, gourmet cake every day. Eventually, they might just start throwing in random ingredients to satisfy your appetite, and that's a recipe for disaster, isn't it?
So, what's the sweet spot? If you're Sarah, you might want to ease off the gas a bit. Start strong, sure. Maybe ask for feedback every couple of weeks for the first few months. Then, once you've got a good rhythm going and your team is comfortable with the process, you can ease into a more sustainable pace, like every quarter.
And for you, Bonnie, don't be afraid to be upfront with Sarah. If you're all feedback-ed out, let her know. Honesty, in this case, is truly the best policy. It saves you the stress of wracking your brain for non-existent issues and saves Sarah from the disappointment of receiving inauthentic feedback.
Remember, it's all about balance. Like a good seesaw, it's most fun when neither side is touching the ground.
Keep on balancing,
Lewis
Simple, right? Well, not always
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