Cajole Yourself Into Giving Feedback. It’s An Essential Job Duty for Leaders

You may not like it. You may be bad at it. But the worst thing you can do is to avoid or delay giving feedback at work. Everyone has their own versions of fear and avoidance, but here are some tricks you can use to bypass your own resistance:

Envision some fantastic results you would love to see happen from one of your team members. Dreaming of having someone fully trained in a back-up role? Needing greater accuracy in dealing with top customers? Needing certain team members to check their work thoroughly? Give yourself a few minutes to bask in a “Wouldn’t it be nice” scenario!

Plan on closer relationships with members of your team. It will be easier to pick up the phone or write a text to people who know you are trying the help them improve in their careers. Most people want to get ahead and you are giving them specific advice on how to do that. You are a coach and teacher. You are going out of your way to specify what they need to do differently in words they understand. You are a friendly force in their lives.

Imagine More Fun and Less Stress. You have been stressed whenever you think about feedback. However, by facing feedback directly and making it a top priority you can rest more easily. You can drop the worry, as you are 1) doing what you know you need to do 2) you are creating a culture, or regular way of doing things—a habit—that makes it easier and easier to giving feedback in the future. You can relax and feel satisfied as you reflect on your work for the day.

Congratulate yourself for taking the leap and seeing some positive results

Celebrate every win. Know that you had a big role in each improvement you coached people to make. Savor that good feeling and wake up tomorrow with a smile of pride!

Read Best Seller The Feedback Imperative for more tips and strategies for leading remotely.