Focusing on truly valuable feedback
Not all feedback is created equal, do you know how to identify the most valuable?
Welcome to the fourth Transformative Letter!
We reached the halfway point of the year. We have officially experienced more of 2024 than what is yet to come. There is something powerful about this, it can’t help but put us in a reflective mind, as we ponder whether the year is going as we planned or hoped it would. Self-reflection is the obvious part of this moment, but what about letting other people in?
in this Letter, I’d like to introduce you to a framework, one that still surprises me at how little-known it is.
The framework is the Johari Window, part of the cognitive psychology toolkit.
The Johari window splits information based on two key variables, creating four quadrants out of them. The variables are: whether the information is known to you and whether the information is known to other people.
The Johari Window
If something is known to both you and other people, it is Open information.
If it is known to you but not known to others, it is Hidden (also known as secret).
Where it becomes a lot more interesting is when we look at those things which are not known to us.If they are not known to either, they are simply Unknown.
However, if it is something other people know but you don’t, then you are Blind to it.
Framing information in this way is incredibly powerful. It forces you to acknowledge you have blindspots, that there are things about you that others know, but you don’t. Things that may get in the way of your growth that you are completely oblivious to.
Uncovering that information is akin to winning the jackpot! Transition something from Blind to Open gets you one step closer to your full potential, helps you uncover opportunities to become a better version of yourself.
And obviously, the only way for you to get there is through others. In other words, feedback.
This framework is a huge part of why I believe feedback is a gift:
If I don’t know I have a problem, I can’t fix it
Worse, that’s dangerous, as the problem will fester and fester, and fester, and people will make assumptions as to why I am not fixing it (and not knowing about it rarely crosses their mind, they’ll assume I do)
It is a brilliant prioritisation tool - the more I show people I am improving based on their feedback, the more willing they become to give me more and more crucial feedback
If the only thing you can put your mind on fixing, you are not going to focus on the most optimal problems and your growth will be capped - and we don’t want that, do we?!
Asking for the feedback
The key here is to make sure that you create a risk-free environment for feedback, to encourage people to do so. Giving feedback can be uncomfortable, you don’t want the person receiving it to be annoyed at you, get angry, or hurt. There is a risk for the person giving you feedback - actions drive consequences. Your role is to make those consequences look as unlikely and as inconsequential as you can.
Here are a few things that I personally do:
De-risk: I verbalise to people “Please, don’t be afraid to sound harsh or brutal. I can take it, and the more brutal it sounds, the more grateful I’ll be, as that’s where I am likely going to benefit the most”
Be specific: guide the kind of feedback you are looking for “What do you think I need to change to go to the next level?”, “What do you see top performers do that you feel I am yet to implement?”, “What’s one thing you think I should improve on that I am likely to be unaware of?”
Close the loop: I have a habit of taking note of what feedback I get from people in feedback cycles and close the loop with them once I have applied it. I usually do so a month after the feedback and a fortnight before the next cycle
A month after the feedback to acknowledge and thank their contribution and show what I have done on the back of it
A fortnight before the next cycle to remind them that their discomfort won’t be wasted, and encourage them to give honest feedback again
There you have it. When your next round of feedback comes, or with your line manager, don’t be afraid to ask questions and invite feedback. Feel free to also share the Johari window with them for context, and tell them you want to bring things from the Blind quadrant to the Open quadrant, it may even spark some ideas.
Can you do me a favour?
There has now been four editions of the Transformative Letter. If you enjoy what you read and you feel it has the potential to move the needle for you, would you consider moving the needle for it in return? Share it with people you know, or post about it on your LinkedIn and other socials - I am on a mission to try and unlock as much potential in people as I can, at a scale my coaching can’t. I’d be grateful for any support you can share on that mission.