A reader writes:
I am pretty new to the workforce. I’ve been at my present job for shut to 2 years and I can’t shake the sensation that I’m dangerous at it. Rationally I assume there are elements of it that I am certainly not-so-great at; rationally I assume there are elements that I’m respectable at. Rationally I know that I haven’t made any dramatically terrible errors, and I’ve gotten some good work accomplished.
But irrationally? I really feel So. Bad. At. My. Job. Almost on a regular basis. And I hate feeling that manner. Some points (ADHD, nervousness) make it exhausting to enhance specifically areas of the work — I don’t assume coordinating different individuals will ever be a energy for me — however I’d wish to get an sincere evaluation of whether or not I’m really adequate that it’s value persevering with on this place. I assume in all probability I carry extra pluses than minuses and it might be a critical inconvenience if I stop in a match of anxious pique. Probably.
I guess I’m asking how to get that type of evaluation from my boss, with out simply seeming like I’m asking for a pat on the pinnacle. Are they pleased with my work, are there some particular locations I can enhance, do they assume I have any strengths. And right here’s the opposite factor: if I ask, how do I set myself as much as be prepared for powerful feedback? I care about the work sufficient to need to be good at it.
I hear how neurotic I sound simply penning this. But I assume it’s a cheap query?
It’s completely a cheap query! Even individuals who don’t wrestle with nervousness can wrestle with not having a strong sense of how effectively they’re or aren’t doing of their jobs.
Managers ought to be making the individuals they handle know the place they stand — the place they excel, the place they might (or should) enhance, and how they’re doing total. In actuality, an terrible lot of managers are dangerous at doing that. Some managers are beneficiant with constructive feedback however falter relating to speaking about issues. Others virtually by no means reward however are remarkably comfy criticizing. Others don’t offer you a lot in both course in any respect.
Of course, there are additionally managers who do a good job of offering feedback — each on particular initiatives and “here’s how you’re doing overall” — and nonetheless have workers who may write a letter like yours, as a result of generally our brains are jerks and make us query if we’re adequate, no matter how a lot proof we get that we’re. And the reverse can also be true — generally a supervisor is forthright and specific that somebody isn’t doing effectively sufficient, and that particular person one way or the other stays assured they’re doing nice.
So my first query for you is: What, if any, feedback are you getting out of your supervisor? Do you may have formal efficiency assessments? If so, what do these say?
But it’s additionally utterly tremendous to take a seat down along with your supervisor and ask point-blank how you’re doing. You can try this with particular initiatives and duties, and also you can do it with the large image too.
For getting feedback on particular initiatives and duties:
* “Can I get your feedback on that report? I wasn’t sure if it was what you were looking for or not.”
* “How did you think that meeting went? I couldn’t tell if I presented the concept clearly enough for the client.”
* “Can we talk about how X went?”
* “I would love your feedback on X, especially about the Y element of it.”
* “I would love your thoughts on how I might be able to improve X/do X differently/approach X more effectively.”
* “I was pretty happy with how X turned out — do you agree, or is there anything you want me to do differently next time?”
For getting feedback about the large image:
* “Could we talk about how things are going overall? I’ve realized I don’t have a good sense of how you think I’m doing, and if there are areas you’d like to see me work on improving in.”
* “How do you feel things are going overall? Is my work in line with what you’d expect to see from someone at my level of experience / is there anything I should focus on doing better?”
* “Would you have time in the next few weeks to do a mini performance review with me? It wouldn’t need to be anything formal, but a conversation to talk about how I’m doing would be so helpful to me.”
