Post co-authored by Angela Lane and Sergey Gorbatov
In our previous post, we encouraged you to start the new year with purpose.
We suggested you send a letter, requesting input into your performance for your development and growth. This input gives you leverage. The leverage to turn insights into a learning objective. Writing it down will make it real. It exists! Better still? Share it with the person that gave you their insight on your development. Consider this.
Dear …. (insert name of credible, fair person whose gave you their feedback)
I want to thank you for taking the time to give me feedback towards my professional development. I appreciate your time and thoughtfulness.
I also wanted to give you an update.
I have decided to focus on (insert your development focus here) and have set myself a goal to build my skills in this area in 2021.
I would appreciate being able to send you a note from time to time, to tell you how I am doing. And any observations or feedback you have during the year would be welcome. You know I value your perspective.
Thanks again for helping with my development,
From (And insert your name here!)
Before you say “I can’t do that”, consider these upsides.
Firstly, it's good manners to say 'thank you'. You know that. But why else is this a good idea? Three reasons:
you have now made something of a commitment to this. And as a result, you have just made yourself get a little more accountable. As humans, we subconsciously like wiggle room. But wiggle room stops us from achieving our goals. Accountability helps us perform.
you have a potential source of ongoing feedback. It will come from a credible source. You selected them, after all. And that source has a vested interest in you doing well. Their ongoing feedback will help you stay on track.
you have asked for it. More feedback we mean. We are typically not so receptive to being told what to do. But we are much more open when we have asked for help in the first place.
Wiggle room stops us from achieving our goals. Accountability helps us perform.