As the end of July approaches, you’re probably half way through your summer internship. Whether or not you got a coveted gig at City Hall, it’s time to take stock of your progress and learning and think about what you’ve gotten out of the experience to date and how to make the internship meet your [...]
Topics: Asking for Feedback
“Undercover Boss” and the Missing Information Loop
February 10, 2010 – 4:25 pm
It’s hard to argue that a primetime network T.V. show that debuts after the Super Bowl has any mission other than to entertain the masses. It’s perhaps unfair then to ascribe any responsibility to the “Undercover Boss” other than the blatantly obvious—we all knew what we were getting—another reality show.
In reality T.V., however, [...]
How Often Should You Seek Feedback? Quick Tip
February 3, 2010 – 5:08 pm
Monthly is too often—it can overwhelm the person from whom you’re requesting the feedback. About once a quarter is a good target—the goal is to have 3-5 touch points over the course of the year. You can and should spread those requests for feedback out—don’t always ask the same person for feedback. Have a stable of [...]
If you really care, you’ll tell it like it is…
August 26, 2009 – 11:50 am
You know how when you’ve never heard of something, a brand or a concept for instance, and someone mentions it and all of a sudden it’s everywhere? And you then wonder how you could have been so out of the loop for so long? I had that happen with the word “sommelier” recently. At a [...]
4 Steps to Giving Criticism in a Constructive (versus Destructive) Way
August 20, 2009 – 12:14 pm
1. Take it “off-line” immediately. Negative feedback should never be given in front of anyone else not directly related to the situation. It should always be given one-on-one, behind closed doors and in the moment (so it doesn’t become something bigger than it really is). The goal is not to humiliate the recipient nor make [...]
Confronting Your Critics & Addressing Negative Feedback
July 30, 2009 – 11:32 am
If you’re a small business and you get slammed online for surly wait staff, crappy pizza or poor service, there’s only so much you can do to fight back to your critics on Yelp. According to a great article in Inc. Magazine, Craig Stoll, co-owner of Pizzeria Delfina in San Francisco handles the negative feedback in [...]