In
one case, when I was running, two people who were
running together decided to stop in the middle of the
pack to walk and catch their breath. This sudden stop
meant that a few of us to had to swerve in order to
avoid knocking them over. Like on a highway, the
typical practice if you need to stop is to gradually
move over to the outer lane where you can pull off on
the shoulder of the road.
The
second observation was a runner who took in some
liquid at the water station, promptly gargled his last
mouthful while running and spit it out. The strong
winds on Sunday carried the liquid refuse from
his mouth to the face of a woman running behind him. I
thought to myself, as you would, "Wow, there
certainly are a few inconsiderate runners here."
It was obvious, however, that the runners who stopped
suddenly in front of me and the gentleman who spit out
his water like a mouthwash were unaware of their
impact on other runners. Likewise, when working within
our teams, or when managing or leading others, we can
become unaware of our impact on the performance of
others. In fact, without feedback, we may
unintentionally be doing things that are
counterproductive.
Having
had a chance to reflect after the race, I wondered
what impact some of my running actions might have had
on those around me. I know enough to look behind me
before I stop or spit, but did my sporadic passing
pace cause anyone to stumble?
In
terms of how we function at work and impact the
performance of others, 360º
Feedback is a
very powerful tool. When a leader or manager seeks
feedback, learns from it and constructively acts on
it, the resulting impact on his or her skills, career,
and team's performance can be remarkable.
We
have many clients that have made some changes in their
management practices as a result of embracing their
360º feedback. Frankly, the feedback ignited a
sincere desire to take their leadership abilities to a
superior level. Like a runner seeing the sign that
indicates the last kilometre of a race, some
managers implement their developmental goals with
renewed passion, energy and focus for goal
achievement.
Sadly,
other managers fail to embrace the feedback or even
deny its importance. It's hard to say what is worse -
not receiving any feedback at all, or not doing
anything constructive with the feedback, once
received.
Managing
without feedback is like running a race without and
distance markers. Managing without accepting and
applying feedback is like running a race, but arguing
with officials that the distance markers are incorrect
and therefore your finish time is not relevant.
Management
author Peter Drucker once said, "Real
leaders deal with the world as it is, not just as
they'd like it to be." Just as you would look
for the distance markers in a marathon that tell you
where you are in the race, remember to seek annual
feedback to support your continual leadership
improvement.
Lead
well!
Chuck Reynolds is a Principal and
Chief Performance Officer with Excel
Group Development a Performance Solutions firm that assists
organizations in enhancing management and team effectiveness. He can be reached
indirectly by emailing our
admin group. Insert 'ATTN Chuck' in the subject area. Visit them at www.GrowingCoaches.com
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