To succeed in life and in your career, you need to identify your weaknesses and make an effort to strengthen them.
Success in life often depends on seeking honest feedback and acting on it to make improvements. It’s often difficult to get honest feedback, but it is essential if you want to improve.
Honest feedback is the key to improvement so don’t become defensive if it contains criticism, be grateful.
Five of the best tips to help you make self – improvements
* Be truthful
You must be trusted. Talk honestly with staff and clients if you want to get honest answers in return. Make the time to establish a rapport before asking simple questions.
* Be suspicious of excess positive feedback
If you get only positive feedback you should realise it may not be the whole truth. Learn to accept and appreciate constructive criticism.
* Use social events
Network at social events to gather information. Ask direct and open questions such as ‘What’, ‘Why’, ‘When’, ‘Where’, ‘How’ and ‘How much’ if you want honest comments.
Use lead-ins such as…‘ What do you think about….’‘Are you happy with …’ What would you do if you were the boss?
* Use formal surveys to collect opinions
Plan feedback meetings and attitude surveys; carry out sample polls; set up focus groups to collect opinions and gain new information.
Invite electronic feedback and comments. People will often tell you things online they would not tell you to your face.
* Stay focused with to-do lists
Set audacious goals and makeup list of activities to be achieved by when. Try to learn from people who inspire you and see if you can get them to mentor and coach you.
Don’t make excuses, don’t be defensive, encourage honest feedback and be grateful.
Identify your needs
Nobody is perfect; we all have our deficiencies. Be prepared to strengthen your weaknesses if you want to succeed in life and in your career.
Check the following lists, identify your weaknesses and be prepared to work at them if you want to be successful. Highlight areas you need to improve. Take one topic at a time and make a planned effort to improve it.
Attitudes
Achieving, getting things done
Change
Client awareness
Cultural awareness
Delegation
Enthusiasm
Feedback, giving and receiving
Innovation
Interpersonal relationships
Leadership
Managing conflict
Motivation
Staff development
Teamwork
Other…..
Knowledge
Business planning
Commercial judgment
Corporate responsibilities
Cultural responsibilities
Employee relations, health and safety, legislation, union etc
Financial management
Global perspective
Management styles
Managing with electronic information systems
Marketing
Media relations
Strategic awareness
Other…
Skills
Change management
Coaching
Communication
Computer
Counselling
Crisis management
Health and safety practices
Hiring staff and selecting staff for key positions
Leadership
Listening
Managing customer services
Managing quality issues
Marketing
Mentoring
Motivating others
Negotiating
Networking
Organisational
Performance management
Planning
Praising
Presentation
Problem-solving
Project management
Public speaking
Questioning
Selling
Setting an example
Team building
Training
Time Management
Work reviews
Writing
By taking one topic at a time and making an effort to strengthen your weaknesses you will achieve more and improve your relationships.
Become addicted to constant and never-ending self-improvement.
–Geoffrey Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)
“See things as they are and ask ‘why?’
Dream things as they never were and ask ‘why not?'”
SOURCE: “Time-Savers” Moss Associates, New Zealand and “Time Management Secrets” Cengage Learning Asia, Singapore, Times Business Books, Singapore, Se-Education Public Co. Ltd, Thailand and The McGraw Hill Co. Australia. Also as an e-book available from Amazon.com
Another Handful of Tips 