How Others See You: Seeking Personal Feedback

Has this ever happened to you? You've just finished an important presentation. As you return to your seat, a colleague leans over and whispers, "You've got spinach in your teeth." Even if you haven't had this experience, you've probably lived through something similar in which you're the last to know something that is obvious to everyone else. Unfortunately, we never exactly see ourselves as others see us. Gaining insight into how we affect others and how they view us provides us with new awareness and greater choices about how we act. Johanna Rothman shares a feedback model that focuses on describing behavior and the impact of behavior-not evaluation and blame. She discusses different ways for you to seek information that helps you improve your personal effectiveness. When someone gives feedback that, at first, feels like an attack, learn to ask questions that will elicit useful information. Create your own personal continuous improvement plan and be the best you can be every day.