When Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, was asked to provide advice to others, he said, “Really pay attention to feedback, and solicit it, particularly from friends. This may sound like simple advice, but hardly anyone does that, and it’s incredibly helpful.”
Why did the founder of two of the most disruptive and innovative companies choose to focus his advice on seeking feedback?
Because no matter how smart or successful you are, we all have blind spots. The only way to gain clarity on how you are doing as a leader and what is going on with your business is through feedback.
It is really easy for the CEO to not receive feedback. Let’s face it, what employee wants to point out to the boss the things that he or she could be doing better.
The deck is really stacked against receiving feedback, especially when you are in an authority position. That is why you must get at it in a variety of different ways — think of it as a “feedback net.”
Here are some feedback mechanisms I have found to be effective. First we’ll look at getting perspective on your own performance:
■ 360° feedback — A tried and true method, an anonymous survey to those with whom you work most closely often reveals important data points on how you manage people. Learn to “read through the lines” as your direct reports will often soft pedal criticisms.
■ Feedforward — I learned this from Marshall Goldsmith who wrote one of my favorite leadership books, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.” It is easier for people to tell you what to improve upon in the future rather than feeling like they are criticizing something that already happened and cannot be changed. Ask them, “Going forward, how can I do ______ more effectively.” You will get lots of ideas.
■ Ask your spouse — You may not always like how it feels, but she/he knows you best. Learn to listen to their feedback because they can help you find blind spots.
For feedback on your products and company culture, try the following:
■ Use the Net Promoter Score — If you do not know about it, read the book, “The Ultimate Question 2.0,” by Fred Reichheld and Rob Markey. It’s a great, simple approach to measuring how customers really rate your company.
■ Survey your employees — It sounds basic, but regularly asking the people who work in your company how it is going and how things can be improved yields results.
■ Ask customers — A question we ask our retail customers is, “Who is your best vendor? What do they do that makes them the best?” Usually what they will choose to tell you is what your company needs to improve.
■ Conduct exit interviews — When people are on their way out, they may feel that they can speak their mind more. Make sure to capture it. ●
