10 Tips To Get Honest, Productive Feedback
thinksales|July - September 2019

Great leaders are great learners. Their never-ending pursuit of information pushes them to constantly improve and sets them apart from the rest. Getting and learning from feedback isn’t always easy, but it is necessary, if we want to become better.

Jennifer Porter
10 Tips To Get Honest, Productive Feedback

As an executive coach, I work with many successful leaders who want to become even more effective. Recently, I asked a client of mine what kind of feedback she was receiving to help her be a better leader. She said, “My last performance review was really positive. My boss told me I’m doing a great job and I should just continue to do what I’m doing.”

That felt nice to hear, I’m sure. But it is also completely unhelpful to her growth and development.

According to research on effective learning, to improve performance, people need three things:

1. A clear goal

2. A genuine desire to achieve that goal

3. Feedback that indicates what they are doing well and what they are not doing well.

Unfortunately, the feedback many leaders receive is not helpful. It’s often infrequent, vague, or unrelated to specific behaviours — and as a result, leaders tend to be less proactive about getting more of it. Low-quality feedback is not useful, positive feedback is undervalued, and negative feedback delivered unskillfully can actually cause physical pain.

Without clear performance targets and data measuring how close or far they are from reaching them, leaders will continue to find it difficult to grow and improve. When delivered thoughtfully, however, feedback can provide leaders with the actionable data they need to become more effective.

If you want to get the feedback that is necessary to improve your leadership, there are a few steps you can take.

1 Build and maintain a psychologically safe environment

This story is from the July - September 2019 edition of thinksales.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July - September 2019 edition of thinksales.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THINKSALESView All
Getting Over Your Fear Of Cold Calling Customers
thinksales

Getting Over Your Fear Of Cold Calling Customers

A recent research study found that 48% of business-to-business salespeople are afraid of making cold calls.

time-read
5 mins  |
July - September 2019
10 Tips To Get Honest, Productive Feedback
thinksales

10 Tips To Get Honest, Productive Feedback

Great leaders are great learners. Their never-ending pursuit of information pushes them to constantly improve and sets them apart from the rest. Getting and learning from feedback isn’t always easy, but it is necessary, if we want to become better.

time-read
5 mins  |
July - September 2019
The 5 Things All Great Salespeople Do
thinksales

The 5 Things All Great Salespeople Do

The best salespeople know they’re the best. They take pride in their art form. They separate themselves from the rest of the pack regardless of circumstance. So how do they do it? What’s their secret? Are you one of them?

time-read
4 mins  |
July - September 2019
Why Trade Shows Are Worthy Of Your Marketing Budget
thinksales

Why Trade Shows Are Worthy Of Your Marketing Budget

Given unrealistic expectations against a modest budget, marketing leaders are routinely tasked with making trade-offs on what stays and goes in their annual budget. In a highly digitised world, trade shows might seem like the ancient way to do things, but they remain one of the best forums for exposure to customers. Increase your success rate with trade shows through more thoughtful planning that aligns sales and marketing to common goals and objectives.

time-read
4 mins  |
July - September 2019
Why CRM Projects Fail And How To Make Them More Successful
thinksales

Why CRM Projects Fail And How To Make Them More Successful

CRM is an important tool, but it is just a tool. When the laptops are shut down for the day, it’s your sales team that is responsible for bringing value to clients and driving revenue. Implement your CRM with that in mind and you’ll be pleased with your ROI.

time-read
4 mins  |
July - September 2019
Avoid Making Enemies: But Do Make Decisions!
thinksales

Avoid Making Enemies: But Do Make Decisions!

Strong leaders listen to all the arguments, probe for understanding, avoid telling people they are wrong, and then step back and decide.

time-read
2 mins  |
July - September 2018
4 Ways To Improve Your Content Marketing
thinksales

4 Ways To Improve Your Content Marketing

While most buyers today will evaluate your products and services on their merits – delivering memorable and emotional experiences at business events can distinguish you from your competitors.

time-read
5 mins  |
January - March 2019
Pathway To Profitability
thinksales

Pathway To Profitability

Years of working with leading companies and hundreds of hours spent researching and developing the 5-Pillar Strategic Sales Organisation Framework and AssessmentTM has led me to understand, at a deep level of certainty, that many companies are not realising the revenue, margins and profits their organisations are capable of achieving. There is a strategic option to address this challenge; a silver bullet for all companies.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - March 2019
Do I Really Need Another Sales Rep?
thinksales

Do I Really Need Another Sales Rep?

So you need quick growth. You knew this day was coming, but you kept putting it off in the hope that it would solve itself. Is your quickest route to revenue really bringing on another rep? Not necessarily. Examine your current reps and inefficiencies first.

time-read
3 mins  |
January - March 2019
What Subscription Business Models Mean For Sales Teams
thinksales

What Subscription Business Models Mean For Sales Teams

Manage the challenges of a subscription sales business by splitting sales roles.

time-read
4 mins  |
January - March 2019