Feedback

David Maister has a good post on the importance of getting feedback.

Note: He said it is important. He didn't say that it is enjoyable.

I routinely get evaluations from the attendees at my management workshops. Sometimes they are frustrating or just plain dumb, but that's only around 2 percent of the responses. The other 98 percent are very constructive, even when - perhaps especially when - they feel something can be improved.

Being a world class worrier, I go over their comments carefully to see if there are any items that can be improved: Can this case example be simplified? Should I shorten this section? Should that class exercise be moved to another part? Is there a hot button that I'm missing? Is the pacing smooth?

This process has resulted in continuous improvement of programs that are - I won't be modest here - already pretty darned good. And I wouldn't have been able to spot the areas that needed tweaking without getting participant feedback.

This doesn't mean that you adopt any proposal. Some participants will suggest changes that are impractical due to time constraints. Others may want a section shortened that 99 percent of the rest of the class likes "as is." Still others may simply be cranky. (Everybody has bad days.)

But you get their views and think about them and, over time, that gives you a very competitive edge.