I was out on the field at a kid's soccer tournament when I overheard bits and pieces of a conversation between a couple of the parents. "He's so out of touch. Full of ego. Has no idea what's really going on."
So I had to ask, "Are you talking about the coach?"
"No,"he replied. "I'm talking about my boss." For the next few minutes, the man went on about the terrible situation at work, how everyone in the office was about to quit if they hadn't been fired already. Low morale. Poor management. Toxic environment. All this because of a "bad boss."
I wondered if the boss had any idea about how bad things really were from the perspective of employees. If he did, what would he do?
The reality is that often managers are the last to know. Who tells them? Who has the guts? If someone does tell the manager the ugly truth, the employee might lose his or her job.
If you're in a leadership role, and you don't want to be the bad boss everyone's talking about, get feedback. How?
* Use assessments.
Some assessment tools provide 360 feedback. Other useful types of assessments help you identify strengths and areas for development without extensive input from others.
* Hire an external coach or consultant.
Sometimes feedback can be delivered more effectively by someone who is objective and removed from the day-to-day operations.
* Ask employees directly.
Let them know your intent is to increase your own effectiveness, not to be defensive or criticize their point of view.
* Talk to the person you report to (if anyone).
They have the responsibility to give you feedback on your performance. Request a meeting to discuss their observations.
Thank those who do give you feedback for helping you illuminate any blind spots.
Get out of the dark.
For information on assessment tools I often use, go to:
www.workmatters.com/assessments