MIDTERM-CPD 395

STOP, KEEP, START – EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK

     I interviewed my grandmother, Mary Cover, who is an Accounting Manager at the Chesapeake, Regional Airport. She knows me very well and tends to be very honest with me in serious conversations that we have. I explained to her the paper I had to write was about effective feedback and a discussion on behaviors that I have while in positions of leadership.

     The first question I asked her is what behaviors should I stop doing? Right away she stated that I need to stop procrastinating and do what I know has to be done. Putting off decisions has been part of my makeup in the last few years, especially when it comes to school. I have tried to change that behavior and to do what needs to be done early rather than later so that I don’t dwell on it and keep putting it off. I find myself being overwhelmed by the smallest thing and sometimes can’t push through it. I am not sure if its because my life has so drastically changed since high school, my little brothers battle with cancer or because of the pandemic. Change hasn’t been my friend and I have been trying to learn how to deal with it.

     The second question I asked her what behaviors should I keep doing?  She again came back with an immediate answer. She said she loves the way I prepare for those things I am passionate about. I try to be the best I can be in whatever it is that I love doing. For instance, I love playing basketball and in high school I played on the varsity teams. She said I would practice until I was the best and everyone loved watching me play. I found truth in what she was saying because when I am doing something I love I do it to best of my ability. I can be very competitive when it comes to sports and games. I began to think that might be the problem when it comes to my procrastination. I have to find a way to be passionate about everything that I do so that procrastination is not an issue. I have to accept that things change and the challenge to is meet this change and be successful.

      The third question I asked her is what behaviors should I start doing? She stated that was a little tougher question to answer. She stated that I should start being more organized when it comes to my life. Planning and budgeting time and money would take away a lot of the anxiety I feel at times. At this time in my life, I don’t do very much of either and find myself starting to panic when I haven’t prepared for classwork, work or my bills. She also mentioned that I tend to want things now, at this moment, instead of waiting and preparing to get those things when it’s a better time. For instance, wanting to be in my own apartment instead of staying home and saving my money and concentrating on finishing school.

     Of course, my grandmother has told me these things many times, but I didn’t want to hear them and certainly didn’t want to admit that she was right about any of it. I also felt that I knew better and that I knew what was right for me. I kept saying I wanted to have these experiences now before I had to settle down into a life, a career or even a family. She told me that what I am failing to realize is that my life would be less stressful if I followed some of her advice and that I would be a lot happier in where I am in my life right now.

     As I am reading more about how effective feedback and suggestions can help you become a better leader, I think I am starting to understand what my grandmother is trying to tell me. Being a leader means having to deal with all kinds of people that may not think the way I do. I have to start considering how I can best lead the team and how I can help my team mates become the best that they can be. In doing so, I think that will have me be a better boss. I need to plan and then discuss these plans with my team and then with the team find ways to accomplish the goals or jobs that have been assigned. I have to help them accomplish this either with more training or by breaking down the jobs so that they are manageable.

     I need to make sure that I am providing effective feedback along the way and showing the team alternative ways that the job can be accomplished. I have to create the passion needed to ensure that we are all doing our best work. If I can instill a passion to embrace each project as important, the team will want to do their best to accomplish the job and this will allow the team to feel pride in the work they are doing and accomplishing.

References:

DeLong, Thomas J. Three Questions for Effective Feedback. Harvard Business Review, August 4, 2011.