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On Feedback

When I run a session on Feedback skills - I ask this question:

Your manager has just called you. Its an unscheduled meeting. What goes on in your mind?

The answer in most companies is fairly negative.

Did something go wrong?
What broke?
What needs to be fixed?
What did I do?
What did my team do?
A sense of anxiety
A sense of unease

Interesting isn't it? What amazes me (though not surprising at all) is that, very few if any, actually look forward to the sudden meeting with the manager!

To me, it signifies an appreciation gap. A gap that as an employee, I do not get enough positive strokes vis-a-vis negative strokes.

What does team think when you call them for an impromptu meeting? And what can you do on a daily basis to let them look forward to any meeting - planned or impromptu?

And what if your team looked forward to every meeting with you as manager  - with their 'curiosity' lenses intact? What would the impact of that be?

Believe me, this is achievable - even in my limited experience, there are entire companies (as opposed to a few managers) that have actually got there.

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