How to Improve Employee Performance
Summary
- Always ask for feedback with specific questions. General questions lead to general, unhelpful answers.
- Avoid asking vague questions like "How do you think I did?" and instead ask, "What's one thing I could do next time to make that a 10 out of 10?"
- Focus feedback questions on future improvements rather than past mistakes. This keeps the feedback constructive.
- Ask questions such as, "What is one thing I could do less of to make this better?"
- Specific questions yield specific directives, which help you move forward and improve efficiently.
- Asking vague questions about performance often leads to negative feelings without constructive advice.
Video
How To Take Action
Implementation Strategies
I would suggest implementing the following strategies to get the most out of feedback:
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Ask Specific Questions:
Instead of asking general questions like "How did I do?" focus on specifics. Ask, "What's one thing I could do next time to make this a 10 out of 10?" This will give you clear actions to improve on. -
Focus on Future Improvements:
When asking for feedback, concentrate on what you can do in the future rather than what went wrong. This keeps the conversation positive and constructive. For example, ask "What is one thing I could do less of to make this better?" This way, you'll know exactly what to adjust. -
Be Direct and Clear:
Specific questions yield specific answers, which are more actionable. When you ask specific questions, you'll get directives that help you improve efficiently. Instead of ending up with vague, unhelpful feedback, you'll have a clear path to improvement.
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Avoid Negative Feelings:
General feedback often leads to negative emotions without offering useful advice. By focusing on what can be improved and how to do it, you turn feedback sessions into productive and positive experiences. -
Practice Regularly:
Make it a habit to ask for feedback using these strategies regularly. Over time, you'll notice marked improvements in your skills and performance. Regular, constructive feedback is a powerful tool for continuous growth.
By implementing these simple yet effective strategies, you'll be able to get the feedback you need to keep moving forward and improving. It's a low-cost, high-value approach that can easily be integrated into your routine.
Full Transcript
there are two rules in asking for feedback one ask specific questions general questions lead to general answers vague questions lead to vague answers so if you're like how do you think I did what do you want me to say it's not going to be the best answer from the person ask what you can do better in the future rather than what you did wrong in the past we don't want to say like how do you think I did a great alternative would be something like what's one thing I could do next time to make that a 10 out of 10 what is one thing I could do less of to make this better these are fantastic questions to ask people because if you ask specific questions you get specific directives and directives move you forward towards where you want to go rather than asking for vague feedback about how you did which just makes you feel shitty
