Page 37 - Free Yourself From

20 It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor

1. Identify behaviors and attributes that matter. Determine the
behaviors and attributes that are necessary for you to be
successful in your role. These should include the key
business objectives for your group and should be put in the
context of your company culture. I encourage you to think
big and consider what you want to demonstrate about
yourself in this role to show you’re ready for bigger
things—maybe even the executive suite.

2. Determine who can provide meaningful feedback. It’s
called a 360-degree evaluation because it’s supposed to
include perceptions of you from all sides. So make a mental
list of your key stakeholders which includes your direct
reports, boss, peers, customers, suppliers, or any other
members of your leadership team. The key here is to find
people who have had several experiences with you, and who
can give feedback that will help you to improve your
performance, leadership ability, and relationships. As hard
as it may be, don’t steer away from those who may provide
you with difficult feedback.

3. Solicit feedback. This process can be handled in several
different ways, such as anonymous surveys or one-on-one
interviews. I often recommend hiring a coach to work with
you on a questionnaire and process for soliciting the
feedback. A coach can also pull it all together into a
summary report to share with you and help you make sense
of it.

4. Develop your action plan. Some feedback will be a happy
surprise. You might not be aware of some of the things
you’ve been doing that people really value and appreciate.
On the other hand, no one is perfect, so people will also see
shortcomings or behaviors that they believe undermine your