Professional athletes hire a battery of coaches including sports psychologist to help them improve. They know they can’t get reach their goals in isolation.

Why is it so hard for us to hear the perspective of others? Have we been criticized too crudely and too often? Have people routinely offered an opinion and positioned it as fact? Have people abused their position power to vent frustration and shame others in order to feed some inner demon? Have we not yet discovered that our feelings of worth and confidence come from establishing an inner criteria rather than being at the mercy of the approval of others?

Whatever the reason – there is a true lack of honest communication in our workplace. Feedback is an exchange of information. A different perspective. An opportunity to hear, reflect and make choices. Properly done, it is a gift. For the person and for the organization.

One of my coaching clients decided to ask two people he trusts for their viewpoint on his communication skills. He prompted them for an honest appraisal. The information that was offered is gold to him. He now possesses specific insights that will help him improve in areas that he considers important. I asked him if he was hurt or embarrassed by the comments. He responded that he is very grateful and quite surprised that no one told him before. He is the exception! And a person of courage.

We have information that can help each other – and many reasons why we don’t share it. I encourage you to write about how information is shared in your organizations. The people who respond will be invited to download (free!) our two new booklets: Offering Feedback so People Want to Listen and Hearing Feedback so it Helps, Not Hurts.

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