"For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward,"

 

I'm about to "go on." 

The assessors/judges are in the back of the room looking both ready and kind of bored. 

I try to ignore their presence as I remind myself that I'm ready.   My stomach's clenched.  I try to relax by breathing deeply.  To further calm my nerves I continue to talk to myself,   "This is no big deal.  I'm ready.  I do this all the time.   I've practiced.  I know what I'm doing." 

My assessors give me the nod and tell me to start.  I step to the front of the room and address the participants,
  

"Thank you for being here today. I'm excited about       what we're going to accomplish today."   

 

My 30-minute sample facilitation for certification as a professional facilitator goes by in a blink.  I'm relieved.  It's done.  Now it's time for feedback from the judges.  Wow, it's like my own version of American Idol, but for facilitators and consultants.

 

After the process is complete I'm happy to be awarded the title of Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF).   But it's not the CPF title that thrills me, mostly I feel proud of my willingness to voluntarily put me through this process.  I feel proud of reaching a new level of expertise.  I feel more confident about my abilities and I know I'm becoming more polished and professional every day. 

I gained valuable insight from this certification process.   In fact I gain similar insight from every consulting engagement because my clients are always assessing what's on target and what could be improved.   My progress and growth as a consultant, and as a human being, has definitely been accelerated by all of the feedback I receive day in and day out.

It seems somewhat similar to the progress you see from American Idol contestants.   (I have to admit - I watch every week.)  Recently country singer Kellie Pickler was a guest on the show.  She waltzed onto the stage like a seasoned professional - she exuded confidence, talent and ability - she looked the part, played the part and came across as a talented pro.

 

Just two years ago she was living in Albemarle, Alabama serving hamburgers and hotdogs on roller skates at the local fast food joint.   Her father was in jail, she lived with her grandfather and I'm not sure she'd ever been out of the state.  How does someone go from fast food waitress to opening act for Rascal Flats and confidently performing on American Idol in front of 31+ million viewers, emanating style and confidence, in two short years?

 

Watching this kind of transformation, of everyday people, is fascinating to me.   While I know the big machine of Hollywood is at play here - I believe the key reason these young performers can excel and become more of who they're capable of becoming so quickly, is due to the focused practice and effort required of them, coupled with ongoing and regular feedback from mentors.

Feedback is crucial to expansion, growth and performance improvement.  However, most of us are not comfortable giving or receiving feedback.  I notice that people are either too nice (like American Idol judge Paula Abdul).  They offer only encouragement, which over time can come across as fluffy, vague and not very helpful.  

 

Or they take the opposite approach, they're so direct and focused on what is wrong (like American Idol judge Simon Cowell) the recipients of the feedback feel stung, insecure and begin trying really hard to please the person giving feedback, instead of focusing on performance improvement.   Both feedback extremes are hard on most people and not as helpful it could be.

If feedback helps people improve, and it does, we must get better at giving it and receiving it.  In corporate America conducting surveys can help your organization get better at the process of feedback.  As the level of feedback and interaction improve, individuals, teams and entire organizations make course corrections more quickly.

The type of surveys that can be used within an organization to develop an organizations ability to give and receive feedback include: organizational/climate, team effectiveness, team development, post training support,  360 feedback readiness, 360 feedback, pre- and post- course skill expertise and customer satisfaction.

 

Refer to my Seven Key Survey Implementation Steps and High Performance Feedback articles in this newsletter for more information.

With feedback, growth and expansion occurs.

Surveys can help your organization grow and expand.

 
You never know maybe you and your organization will be featured as the model for others, in your industry. 
Your own version of American Idol.

Self Assessment AND

Openness

 

Shakespeare had it right. 

 

"Laughing is the unbounded expression of appreciation. Humor is Non-physical essence reflected through a physical being  that's willing enough to let it flow."     Abraham-Hicks Publications