The path to continuous improvement

I love skiing. I mentioned this in an article recently. And on every ski trip, I made sure I got lessons. Of course, as my skiing improved, I noticed my ski lessons were progressing too. I moved on to advanced lessons quite quickly. And in Banff, Calgary, Canada I splurged on private lessons. 2 half-day lessons. Skiing is expensive and so are lessons. But, at that point, I knew I needed specific feedback to improve. Targeted feedback just for me. I was skiing well but I knew I was making certain mistakes and wanted to correct them. For that, I needed one-to-one attention.

I recently caught up with a friend who had attempted skiing whilst living abroad and hadn’t caught on to it as a sport. For first-timers, ski lessons are a must, especially as adults. Skiing is like bicycling, it is easier to learn as a child. I learned skiing as a late teenager, a little late in my opinion. There is something about sports that we learn as children. The fear barrier is lower and the risk taking is higher. And from there the confidence takes off.

But my friend’s question surprised me when I told her I get lessons every time I go skiing. She asked, “You still need lessons, do they help?”

I was taken aback by the question, and it got me thinking.

We can all improve a small aspect of anything we do be it in sports, at work, or in life. And I replied by saying that I can improve so much in skiing. (Lucky for me I now have my own personal ski instructor, my husband)! 😉

But to improve we need feedback. Even professional athletes who are at the top of their game have coaches. To help them improve even a small aspect of their profession. Because small tweaks can lead to big and better outcomes. Their every move is watched and worked on. Most times they (we) don’t know exactly what they (we) are doing right or wrong. Only someone watching them (us) can tell us or if we video ourselves and replay it.

I will never forget my private ski instructor in Banff asking me, “Why are you throwing beer cans as you ski?” I had no idea that I was ‘throwing beer cans.’ (My hands were moving more than they should have). We took a video of me and I saw for myself my mistakes. We had a good laugh.

That’s the power of feedback!

But what’s the science (neuroscience) behind it?

Findings from recent neuroscience research on feedback are eye-opening and relatively easy to execute! But the magic lies in asking for feedback NOT giving feedback (especially when the receiver has not asked for it). Research shows that feedback conversations are cognitively taxing and threatening — for both the giver and the receiver. “It turns out that the best way to give someone feedback is for you to ask first,” says David Rock, CEO of Neuroleadership Institute.

A recent psychological safety mini-summit by the Neuroleadership Institute also showed that asking for feedback fosters safety.

But what caught my attention was the work by University of Sheffield cognitive scientist Tom Stafford. He says that feedback is the essence of intelligence. “Thanks to feedback we can become more than simple programs with simple reflexes and develop more complex responses to the environment”. He continues “Feedback allows animals like us to follow a purpose.” Feedback is what allows organisms and organisations to keep alive and well.

Research suggests that by switching from giving feedback to asking for it, organizations can tilt their culture toward continuous improvement; smarter decision-making; and stronger, more resilient teams that can adapt as needed.

So, what are the practical steps to asking for feedback?

Start simply says Tessa West, New York University psychologist and NeuroLeadership Institute senior scientist. Get people comfortable with giving feedback by asking for feedback through low-stake topics such as the temperature in the meeting room or yesterday’s lunch. This helps build trust and agency with your team. From here, step up to asking for feedback for higher-stake topics. I mentioned the three criteria for asking for feedback in another recent article.

And please remember to listen to the answers. That’s critical when asking for feedback and building trust.

I wish you well on your path to continuous improvement!

As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com