Creating a Channel for Feedback

Personal Growth

These days, I'm more involved in new business conversations with clients than I have been for a while. It's been fun to get back in action and work closely with Dan, our Director of Business Development.

After a call last week, I had a few observations to share with Dan that I thought might be helpful for him on future calls. While Dan and I have been through a lot together, I wasn't sure how to share this feedback without coming off the wrong way — despite them being short, specific points.

Upon further thought, I realized that Dan probably had observations that would be helpful for me. I've gotten feedback in the past, but it was often shared with his manager, our CEO Peter, and then shared with me. Sometimes, Dan and I would talk it through, but not always.

It was late Friday, so I decided to send Dan an email (and let him know ahead of time on Slack) with the notes. Here is an excerpt from my email:

I would love to get in a more regular cadence of taking time to reflect on the calls we lead together to discuss feedback and opportunity areas for each other and the process. These could be bulleted notes and then use our time on Monday to chat through. I think getting in the habit will only help the way we work and present together. ... I'd also love to hear any feedback or thoughts for me on my involvement.

It turns out that Dan did not only agree with my comments, but he had notes for me. He shared that he'd wanted to share them in the past but wasn't sure how to present them. All of Dan's notes were helpful for me to keep in mind for the future. After all, the best way to get feedback is from those who observe us. We can't always see what others can.

I'm excited to continue this practice with Dan and grateful for the feedback so far. I only wish I'd made this move sooner!

This post originally appeared in Edition No. 087 of my newsletter. Subscribe here.

Join My Newsletter

Every Monday, I share weekly themes and progress in running an agency business/team and doing my best to live a good life. Details