Unlocking your full potential with feedback

The first step to improving the way you receive and give feedback is to admit that there are certain things about yourself that you don't know.

As humans and creatures of habit, this is difficult for us - we naturally focus on our strengths, but neglect what could be improved or developed in order to succeed. To reach your full potential, it's important to admit to yourself that your behaviour and interactions with others don't always work out the way you intend. Perhaps your focus on work comes across as antisocial, or your desire to build cooperative relationships means you're unable to push back when necessary. The only way to understand what other people think and feel about you is to understand their perspective.

Think of a recent event that you found challenging, and consider what you thought about it, how you acted, and what results you achieved.

For example, you may have dealt with an error made with a customer. You may have thought that you needed to fix the problem immediately, which led you to instruct others to take certain actions. The error was eventually corrected, but it was difficult to get others to cooperate. In this example, some may have seen you as efficient, caring about the customer and responsive. Others, may have seen you as pushy and not understanding their priorities.

Pay close attention to the feedback you have received, as it often provides good insight into how someone is thinking about you and the situation.

Now consider what blind spots you may have. The feedback you have received and the ways others might think about your behaviour can give you insight into how you come across.

It's always a good idea to get feedback from several people to determine if this information is correct. This way you broaden your perspective, and it's up to you to apply what you learn in your future interactions.