According to me- there are two major tools in our business world and both are highly underrated. First one is Feedback and second one is Forecasting. Forecasting business trends, numbers is both an art as well as deep science. there are realms of stuff written on it and it is my life long passion to study and study more about it. But today the note that i write is on the first tool- Feedback. Due to my DDI training and other exposures- I learnt early in my work career that Feedback is really a gift. It is very precious gift , if you can really know how to use it. Both giving it and receiving it requires finesse and enough maturity.
It is something to do with me- I remember most of the feedback. Many has stuck in mind like a solid rock.Most i liked during my amazing journey, some i just wished was not thrown at me. But i guess it is balanced to have it all and learn from them. I do believe that there is only positive feedback and feedback / opportunity to improve. There can be no negative feedback atall.
Positive feedback during my early days were all regarding my personality- Teachers, parents, freinds used to tell me- how magnetic personality I have, from very early stage- i had this habit of showing dadagiri.. in everything i do. So I used to run for many offices in schools. House captains, perfect positions, school committee leaders, class monitors etc. Everytime it used to be very serious affair for me. must win types. Teachers used to tell me- my good reading habits, integrity and honesty. Generally a good boy reputation. These feedback helped me to put myself in an orbit- from where I never slipped up.. Thankfully .... (Though if allowed, i will do admit, there has been mistakes and oversights like any other normal person.. means even i cannot say i lived up 100% upto what those positive feedback entailed me to.
Opportunities to improve were always the same... it was so similar across board that i am drilled with them.. procrastination, and telling needless lies being 2 most cited.While early days of schooling till university this was general trends. Feedback became much more precise from my engineering days.
One i remember- one interact/rotary field volunteer days- i asked from a well known doctor of Nagpur -- a monogrammed hat-- just to protect self and team from hot sun. Being a good natured person- he offered all the goodies he had as a senior Rotary member. But i stood my ground and took only 6 caps. He was surprised... His feedback - ' bahut nek ho, aage jaoge'...stills erves the purpose- when i am in doubt.
During my struggling days- there were numerous mentors who helped me to come out of abyss. Reading books helped. listening to seniors, my parents- positivity helped me sail through.
There was this feedback- when i was punishing myself with increased work load just to forget my pain.. sometime at end of last century..'men like you need not break over trifle matters- break the barriers.. you are built to break the ceiling.. my son' . Thank you sir....You made me strong.
Later when i learnt STAR method of feedback and i still enjoy teaching this method of feedback to my team- i remember one thing. a warm word and warm hug goes a long way to make men stronger and get them give their best to their leader.
Finishing off with an anecdote-
It was 18th oct'19 and i was stuck in trivandrum keys hotel. due to a local strike. The housekeeping guy ahd helped me throughout to do some meeting and served me very well.It was my festival time but work and some otehr commitment kept me going.The person came and requested that can he count on me to give him feedback. i wrote a long positive feedback. He read it slowly and then came back with a small paper- which i have preserved. It is the way he wanted em to give the same feedback. The algorithm approach deserves a doctoral thesis on human emotions and mind.If youa re not able to decipher the image above- it is very simple- he wanted me to Google--> then go to trip advisor--> search for keys hotel--> write same good stuff--> then add his name and department.
For such small but significant events of my life.. I am in so much love with this beautiful life.
It is something to do with me- I remember most of the feedback. Many has stuck in mind like a solid rock.Most i liked during my amazing journey, some i just wished was not thrown at me. But i guess it is balanced to have it all and learn from them. I do believe that there is only positive feedback and feedback / opportunity to improve. There can be no negative feedback atall.
Positive feedback during my early days were all regarding my personality- Teachers, parents, freinds used to tell me- how magnetic personality I have, from very early stage- i had this habit of showing dadagiri.. in everything i do. So I used to run for many offices in schools. House captains, perfect positions, school committee leaders, class monitors etc. Everytime it used to be very serious affair for me. must win types. Teachers used to tell me- my good reading habits, integrity and honesty. Generally a good boy reputation. These feedback helped me to put myself in an orbit- from where I never slipped up.. Thankfully .... (Though if allowed, i will do admit, there has been mistakes and oversights like any other normal person.. means even i cannot say i lived up 100% upto what those positive feedback entailed me to.
Opportunities to improve were always the same... it was so similar across board that i am drilled with them.. procrastination, and telling needless lies being 2 most cited.While early days of schooling till university this was general trends. Feedback became much more precise from my engineering days.
One i remember- one interact/rotary field volunteer days- i asked from a well known doctor of Nagpur -- a monogrammed hat-- just to protect self and team from hot sun. Being a good natured person- he offered all the goodies he had as a senior Rotary member. But i stood my ground and took only 6 caps. He was surprised... His feedback - ' bahut nek ho, aage jaoge'...stills erves the purpose- when i am in doubt.
During my struggling days- there were numerous mentors who helped me to come out of abyss. Reading books helped. listening to seniors, my parents- positivity helped me sail through.
There was this feedback- when i was punishing myself with increased work load just to forget my pain.. sometime at end of last century..'men like you need not break over trifle matters- break the barriers.. you are built to break the ceiling.. my son' . Thank you sir....You made me strong.
Later when i learnt STAR method of feedback and i still enjoy teaching this method of feedback to my team- i remember one thing. a warm word and warm hug goes a long way to make men stronger and get them give their best to their leader.
Finishing off with an anecdote-
For such small but significant events of my life.. I am in so much love with this beautiful life.
