When you become a master of receiving feedback you’ll become a pro at giving it. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Give feedback to others as you would want to receive it from them.
In short. The easy part is giving feedback because we are safe. The hard part is receiving feedback. Therefore, it will be our focus.
So this week’s challenge: Start with thank you. Anytime you receive feedback even and especially when you don’t ask for it, just say, “Thanks for the feedback” and mean it, both with word and tone. You might need to practice this a bit in the mirror before going out in public with it.
Now this may seem like the worst idea we’ve come up with. Why in the world would you say thank you to the new nurse that clearly is speaking out of line, in your view? Because this is one more stair step on the climb to you becoming a professional feedback receiver. Just try it. It is your number one tool in disarming your team members and having them feel more comfortable around you.
The superb source behind many of these ideas is the book Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heene.
