Marshall Goldsmith is one of the most respected executive coaches in the country and he graciously shares his ideas and techniques. Today I led a workshop for directors at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle called Leader as Influencer and once again facilitated a technique Marshall calls Feedforward. To move to the next level, we constantly need to solicit feedback from our peers, reports, friends and family. I had the honor of hearing Marshall speak at the National Speakers Association convention and bought his book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There. You'll find the directions for Feedforward there as well as at his website.
I encourage you to put Marshall's suggestion to work. You can use Feedforward when a group gathers or you can ask for feedback on a less formal basis. Marshall says the only question that works is: "How can I do better?" It can vary with the circumstances and become more specific, for instance: "What can I do to be a better colleague at work?" It's certainly a question I'm asking myself, my colleagues, friends and family, "How can I do better?"
