Seriously, one of my favorite shows on TV right now is Undercover Boss. Tonight's episode featured the President of Uni First going undercover in various plants across the country to work on the floor. I delivered on what I've come to expect from all the episodes: it let's the boss see and hear things he/she never would on an official visit, it exposes those under-appreciated yet very hard working employees and gives them a very public thank you, and it provides amazing leadership lessons. Tonight's lesson was actually pointed out on two of the stops: the best made designs/plans/processes can be approved by asking the people who will be doing it everyday. In one case, the employee had already worked with a maintenance crew to incorporate her design ideas and it was saving the company an estimated 30-60 minutes a day. In the second, the President decided to send a crew down to work with the employee who pointed out the flaws. If you aren't watching this show, look for it on Netflix or your cable's OnDemand. It is definitely worth an hour of your time and I promise you'll learn something that can be incorporated into your working life.
We've all read lots of books and articles on giving feedback, but what is the best way to receive feedback? My default response used to be to explain my position, show how I do what the person is asking, or show how I wanted to but someone else prevented me. If I am caught off guard or stressed, these are still my gut instincts. However, I have learned two much more constructive ways to respond to feedback that I strive to use more often. The first started as I became more self-aware and felt comfortable and safe acknowledging and working on my weaknesses. If someone points something I am aware of and I feel safe (i.e., it is pointed out in a private forum versus a public forum) the best thing I can do is say "I know, do you have any suggestions or advice that will help me?" If someone has the courage to step out of their comfort zone to point out a way I can improve, it is a safe bet they've thought about it beforehand. The second way to handle...
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