Entrepreneur Voices on Strategic Management, That Time Jeff Bezos Was the Stupidest Person in the Room, When It Comes to Harassment, Workplace Silence Doesn't Mean Everything Is OK. In our interview, Annemarie Durbin, one of our mentors at Merryck & Co., shared smart insights about how leaders have to make intentional choices about how they spend their time. That then raises other questions like, what things do you have to do now to make sure you live the life that you want to lead?

Instead of outdated employee grievance systems that don’t work, here are four ways employers can gain better insight through honest employee feedback: The anonymous aspect of the stereotypical suggestion box encourages employees to give their two cents because there’s no fear of retribution.
Sit down with your employee and ask how work is going. Instead, they pursue interesting or promising strategies without truly considering how or whether any particular action will lead to their ultimate goals. What do you enjoy most about your job? Optimism is a force multiplier. Great leaders know this, so they're always on the lookout for opportunities to offer words of praise and encouragement. It's easy to articulate but can be very difficult to do, which might be why so few would-be leaders actually do it. It’s really about building trust and the sense that they are a unified group. Entrepreneur; CEO and Co-Founder, ClearCompany. Getting employees to give honest feedback can be like pulling teeth. That approach to leadership has consequences, because it’s incredibly time-consuming to spend so much one-on-one time. But that skill has a downside. The big ones include making space and time to think, and part of that is having a conversation about what only they can do, and what they can and should delegate. After all, no one wants to upset their boss with complaints, criticism or suggestions. 3. Eliciting honest, constructive feedback from employees can be difficult, but not impossible. Once you’ve given feedback, ask for feedback in return. Ask for frustrations. A. But …
In the end, how employers elicit employee feedback is irrelevant if they don’t follow up with employees. If you're committed to what you're doing and fulfilled by it, you'll sleep better and be more effective. A. Employee reviews are an opportunity for both employees and employers to ask questions and get feedback on performance. I worked in Standard Chartered Bank for 20 years of my career, and I was in 16 different roles over that time, leading different teams. Instead, it's up to you to check progress continually. It's remarkable how just a few good words from someone you respect can inspire you to work harder and achieve more. You can't possibly check everything, so instead, create a culture that suggests you could wind up checking just about anything. Routine military workouts aren't going to turn people into superstar athletes, but they do set the tone. The caveat is that these have to be sincere remarks, which in turn means you have to know your people well and care about them.

What is the sequel going to be? Contact me and sign up for my weekly email. While positive feedback encourages people to continue doing what they do well, it’s the constructive feedback that helps people -- and businesses -- grow.

If they say that they don't feel like they can delegate aspects of their job to their team, then we’ll talk about whether their direct reports can be coached to do it. But no one will follow if you’re not leading for the right reasons. What do employees say about you when you’re not around? The theory was that if the top commanders didn't take leave, then nobody below them would, either. In business, we might think of this as market research and competitive analysis; in athletics, we might think of scouting the competition. Asking questions such as these can help employers gain better insight: Related: Treat Your Employees Well -- They Are Your Best Brand Ambassadors. Related: How to Find Out What's Really Happening in Your Organization. Rule No. If you haven't served in the military, you've at least seen the Hollywood version--soldiers working out together, running in formation, calling out cadences. Optics can be most important. It means pointing out the connection between their individual effort and how it affects the ultimate objective. A. The multimedia financial-services company found a way to take the intimidation factor out of the feedback process. Instead, it's up to you to check progress continually. They share specific problems and examples. It’s one thing to receive feedback from a boss, but it’s another thing entirely to give feedback to a boss. As a leader, your words are among your most important tools, so if you're not communicating, you're failing. If the answer is no, then find a way to change it. Explore our giveaways, bundles, "Pay What You Want" deals & more. The key to bringing out truly honest feedback from employees is to take the time to meet with them in an informal, one-on-one setting.

Your team needs to know that you're even more committed to the objective than it is. You need time away from your work and your team in order to see things clearly and lead better. If things aren't working, figure out why, and make a change. That meant you had to become really good at observing the mood, knowing what buttons definitely not to push and when to engage and when to keep away. 1 in leadership is to settle on a worthy goal. Medals and thanks are simply not enough to justify the horrors of war. A manager initiates one-on-one meetings to get to know their subordinates better and dedicates a portion of each meeting to knowing what their employees are like in their personal lives and needs, and what makes them unique. More than that, people screw up--and you will screw up, too (see Rule No. Entrepreneur Store scours the web for the newest software, gadgets & web services. 1!). And their rationale is that they haven’t got time.