What would a 10/10 look like for you?

Yo BG Crew!

So, I thrive on feedback, but I’ve found most founders shy away from it.

They’re afraid to talk to customers, clients, and employees for fear of their feelings being hurt or their creativity squashed. But, that feedback is actually the key to unlock your business and your teams potential.

Here are some ways I approach feedback from my team, customers and clients:

Hold your perspective lightly

There’s a Jeff Bezos quote that sums it up perfectly: “strong opinions, loosely held".

Everyone on your team, every client, every customer - they're all bringing something different to the table. You might be convinced that you’re correct and be willing to die for it, but if you don’t listen to the other side you might never learn. Be curious and listen.

Go out of your way to listen and be willing to be wrong.

Find the truth in others perspectives

Ask yourself "what if the opposite was true?"

I do this all the time when working with my CEO's at GatewayX. It's an easy way to flip the script.

I also try to ask “how” not “if” what they’re saying is true. Ex: “how is this problem they are having true?” Not just how it is true for them, but how it can be true for me.

If you’re really stuck and can’t see the other side, the easiest way to get out of your own way is to ask: "what would a 10/10 look like for you here?" You’ll get immediate answers to what they want and something to build off of.

How To: solicit feedback from your team

Here’s a hack I use all the time to force a feedback loop with my team.

Ask:

1. "How am I doing on a scale of 0-10?"

(Rarely does anyone ever say less than 4 or more than 8) then follow up with:

1. "Top 3 reasons it's not a 0?"

2. "Top 3 things I could do that would MAKE it a 10/10?"

Unless your team is unhinged, no one is going to give you a 0, but they might give you a 4…

But that's great! Now you have the data. How you can get to a 10/10 might be easier than you think - an extra 30 min with you to answer questions, a faster response time, a new resource. You’re going to be surprised how simple these things end up being.

Next time you receive some feedback that is hard to hear, choose to be curious and ask "what can I learn from this?"

So, now for some feedback for me...what does a 10/10 email look like for you? (don't be shy)

jesse

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