Debora M

1. Show Interest
The best way to get candid feedback from your team is to create a culture of open and honest communication.
To do this, start by showing a genuine interest in how your people are doing, what’s causing them problems, and how you can help. Ask questions that will help you gauge how your employees feel about their environment, workload, and productivity.
For example, when inquiring about an employee’s assignment, you might ask:
How is your project coming along?
What’s going well?
What’s stopping you from reaching this goal?
What do you need in order to reach your goal?
Think of a time you’ve been highly productive: What factors influenced this productivity? What factors get in the way of it?

2. Pay Attention to Non-Verbals

Again, you need to ask meaningful questions at the right time. For instance, you might approach an employee individually and note, “I noticed tension when I announced the new project assignments. I was obviously hoping for a different reaction. Maybe I missed something in planning for this project. Can you tell me a little bit about what’s going on?”

3. Ask for Feedback From Others
You want to know how you’re doing as a manager? Take a deep breath and ask some of your contacts within the company for their insights. If you’re really brave, you can even ask what they hear about you.
A helpful starting point is to ask your own supervisor about his or her observations of your management style. You can also ask your colleagues who are also managers about their own styles, which can open the door to a discussion about the way you manage your team and any feedback they may have for you.
4. Avoid Defensiveness
This one may seem obvious, but I hear stories about managers’ defensive reactions to their employees all the time. However, one poor response can shut down all your efforts to build rapport and get feedback. For example, if an employee shares with you her disappointment that a colleague’s part of a project isn’t coming along as planned, you might be tempted to shut her down with a sharp, “Well, there are things going on behind the scenes that you don’t know.”
5. Own Your Mistakes
The most effective thing you can do to endear your employees to you and gain their trust is to be genuine with them. That includes admitting to your shortcomings and saying “I’m sorry” if an apology is warranted. Being honest about the ways you can encourage your employees to communicate more openly.