6 Feedback Ideas To Organically Grow As A Leader In The Organization.

The Ugly, The Bad & The Good. When it comes to getting feedback from your employees that’s how to ask for it. But that isn't usually what entrepreneurs do.

Many times entrepreneurs, just like their employees, only like to seek out the positives in what employees say. And who wouldn’t, it’s human nature to expect to hear only good things about ourselves. It is nice to hear how well we are doing and how our employees are pleased with our performance as their hard-working senior. Unfortunately, this is not where you’ll find the real you and how you are really doing as a boss.

We all know that good constructive feedback is essential to cultivating the behaviours and outcomes we want while correcting those we don't, but what makes some people more effective at feedback than others?

Here’s how to get employees to share and to earn their feedback:

1. Invite Them For Feedback Regularly

How you invite employees to provide feedback is critical. Having an open door to your office is not the same as having an “open-door” policy. Are you approachable or are you defensive when you hear something you don’t like and/or disagree with? Be sure to thank your employees who step up to offer insight and suggestions. Do not start giving them your perspective & explanation regarding the certain action taken for which you are getting the feedback. That will discourage the employees to come forward and give truthful constructive feedback. They may start feeling insecure about their job and tell you only what you want to hear. That is not the way you will grow as a leader.

2. Be Persistent

Offering a one-time invite does not count. Your employees do not “win” opportunities to meet with you. Instead, you are earning this right from them. You are in your leadership position to serve and support your team, not the other way around. Pursue and remain constant in your solicitation of their feedback. Encourage them to come and discuss issues with you and that could turn into constructive feedback, without they knowing about it.

Initially, they may be a little hesitant in coming forward and giving their feedback to you. If you at regular intervals encourage them to come forward and give their feedback, it will seep into the culture and they will be more at ease in giving you feedback.

3. Arrange Team Socials

People like free food. Offering lunches/dinner, and catered parties are a great way to get people talking. Outdoor socials are another trick to put them at ease and know what exactly do they think about the company’s policies and working environment. Mingle amongst your employees and learn everything about them & not just work-related issues. Getting to know about their personal life encourages positivity and will give them enough courage to speak truthfully. Out of office parties/socials changes the environment around them and put them in a different frame of mind, which is most of the time, good positive frame of mind.

4. Integrate

Giving feedback should be "a natural part of your workday," says human resources expert Patti Johnson, founder of People Results, an Irving, Texas, consulting firm. Give/receive frequent feedback as you go about your day, recognizing good work or performance while you're in the moment. If you see behaviour that needs correcting, pulling aside your employee and doing it on the spot makes it more effective.

"If you wait until a performance review to tell someone they've been doing something wrong for months, you risk losing their trust. They think, 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?'" she says.

At the same time ensure that you do not fall into the trap of being judgmental about everything, it is so easy to fall into this trap. What you are doing is giving /receiving feedback about the quality of the work and the way it was executed, you are not there to judge the morality or integrity of the employee.

5. Educate

Use your feedback as an opportunity to share why you want things done a certain way or why you value some systems or actions over others. Explain how these fit into the bigger organizational goals and how the employee plays an important role, Johnson says. For example, if you are trying to get more employees using your customer relationship management system, explain how their contributions make the data more up-to-date, which leads to better customer service and a more stable, growth-oriented company. When they see how they fit into the process, the feedback becomes more effective, she says.

Also, remember by giving them regular feedback, you are educating them about how they should be giving feedback to you, about you. It is exactly like how kids learn things from their parents. More constructive and dispassionate your feedback will be, they will learn to give in a similar manner.

6. Follow Up

Are you hearing their needs? Only your employees can answer this question and only will they answer “yes” if things improve over time. Of course, the benefit of asking for ideas from your employees is that some are brought to fruition, failure to do so will eventually result in reduced employee sharing.

Here are some helpful questions to ask your team. It’s essential that you remind your employees that there are no wrong answers, meaning you will not critique, be defensive, or challenge in any way the feedback you receive.

• Why do you choose to work for this company?
• What makes You Stay At This Company?
• In your current role do you feel that you are making a difference?
• What is the single most important value/attribute you think you have brought to this organization?
• Does your supervisor provide regular constructive feedback?
• Do we support you in your professional development?
• What’s the one thing you desire to see improved within our organization?
• Do you know what our vision, mission, and value beliefs are? Do You think anything needs to be changed in that for the betterment of the company?
• How do you and your team typically receive company-wide information?
• Will you agree to the idea of holding once a month feedback polling session for the overall improvement of the company working? (Feedbacks will be taken anonymously).

These are all standard questions that are and get at specific objectives. You may choose to add/delete or change some or all of the questions.