Better Feedback, Less Time (Sounds Good, Huh?)
There are at least 1,112 components to publishing an online course. Trust me, I just found out . My newest mini-course just launched and it was a mad rush to the finish line.
Here’s the deal.
Giving feedback is tough. Equally tough is having an extra two seconds in your day to do anything outside of your imminent work. Not a lot of managers can spare hours and hours in training to improve their skills.
Enter my mini-course: Instant Help for Giving Feedback
10 Videos + About an hour = Less stress when delivering feedback
A month or two ago, I invited my email list to sign up for a free version of this course as I was creating it. THANK YOU to the 80+ people who enrolled and to the very specific ones who gave me feedback. Those beta testers caught (quite a few!) errors and places for the course to be improved.
Instant Help for Giving Feedback is now live and, I’m happy to report, 250+ students are already enrolled .
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MANAGERS
For anyone who is in the position to give feedback –every manager on the planet—the lesson is: don’t stop learning how to improve.
Of course, I’d love for you to sign up for the mini-course (heck, you’ll get tools and ideas instantly). In the meantime, let me share a few things about giving feedback right now that will help you:
1. MAP OUT A PLAN - Do a bit of pre-thinking to work through how you’ll approach the conversation. Use our prep questions and conversation template to map things out. This helps you start with a clear vision of what you want to say and stay on track.
Download the feedback prep worksheets straight from the mini-course below .
2. THINK ABOUT THE SURPRISES AHEAD OF TIME - Surprises can derail your thinking and add confusion to the conversation. Anticipate ahead of time how the receiver might respond and think of possible things you could say in return. Consider:
I’m puzzled by your response, can you share what you’re thinking? Or, I’m a bit caught off guard by your pushback, what’s at the core of this for you?
3. PAY ATTENTION TO BODY LANGUAGE - Take note of how the receiver of your feedback is non-verbally responding to the conversation — their posture, their eye contact — as the conversation goes on. Being aware both in AND above the conversation allows you to stay attentive to what the receiver is thinking in addition to what they are saying.
MOST IMPORTANTLY...
4. ADJUST YOUR MANAGEMENT GAME ACCORDINGLY - There may be adjustments needed in your management approach as a result of this conversation. Perhaps you need to improve how clearly you set expectations. Or maybe how you prepare for and/or deliver feedback. I promise, there is something to learn from every feedback conversation you have.
About The Author
For the past two decades, Cecilia Gorman has helped advertising agencies and other creatively-minded companies fix costly communication and productivity issues by teaching managers how to become better connectors, motivators, and leaders. Cecilia is the author of Always Believe In Better, creator of the digital learning course for managers—Manager Boot Camp, and co-founder of the global training and support community for working women—Empowership.
Interested in growing your skills as a manager? Check out how Manager Boot Camp might help.