Mavenology.

YUP, EVEN THE SUPERHERO EA’S— THERE’S STILL MORE FOR YOU TO LEARN!

Feedback can sound scary, and you might even ask yourself why you would ever go out of your way to ask for it. Things are going just fine, so why disturb your boss’s busy schedule just so s/he can tell you about all the things you’re doing wrong? But before you make your way down the “negative nancy” path, ask yourself this: how many relationships do you know that have fallen apart due to a lack of feedback?

Feedback can mean a number of things. It’s all relative: anything from you telling your significant other, “It annoys me when you don’t put the toilet seat down,” to Steph Curry telling his teammate, “You need to change your attitude on the court!” When we don’t have open lines of communication, relationships suffer. While you might not consider your partnership with your boss a relationship, it is! And just like any relationship, communication and feedback are vital to success.

Need a little more convincing? Here are five (darn good!) reasons to ask your Executive for constructive feedback!

#1: Feedback is Always There (And Executives May Be as Nervous to Give It as You Are to Get It!)

Just because you aren’t given feedback doesn’t mean it isn’t there. You manage your Executive’s calendar – you know the deal. There isn’t a lot of time in the day, and sometimes day-to-day urgent tasks take priority over other important ones like giving feedback. Furthermore, your Executive relies on you to keep things running smoothly and might not want to rock the boat or cause friction in a relationship that isn’t broken. But just being “unbroken” isn’t what you’re aiming for, is it? If your goal is to excel in your role, then asking for feedback might be the single best way to figure out how to achieve that goal. And before you say, “But my I’m running on all cylinders and my Exec has back-to-back meetings all day,” I know you can find five minutes to schedule time for this conversation! It’s worth it. And may I remind you that you’re the one who controls the calendar! ;)

#2: Take Responsibility for Your Own Performance

Asking your Executive for constructive feedback shows that you’re invested and ambitious when it comes to your work. It’s safe to say that any boss appreciates an employee who takes initiative and ownership for their own growth and performance. By approaching your boss with this one question, not only will you discover career growth opportunities, but you will enhance their trust and confidence in you. Ding-ding-ding! You may be in line for a promotion before you know it.

#3: We All Have Blind Spots

Even if you are a Superhuman EA (which I know most of you are), there is always opportunity for improvement. Why do you think Batman has Alfred, his trusted butler? It’s because we all have blind spots, and we count on the people around us to help identify them so we can have better visibility. When thinking about your work life, who better to identify your blind spots than the person(s) you directly support?

#4: Motivation – It Keeps Our Engine Running

I don’t know about you, but when I feel like I have mastered my role and can do my job with my eyes closed, I get…bored. But here’s the thing: there is always room for improvement. Constructive feedback is just one tool to help keep our engine running. Even if you feel like you’ve outgrown your role, asking for constructive feedback is a great way to fully prepare yourself for the next step in your career!

#5: It Might Just Lead to Bigger and Better Things

Asking for constructive feedback can open doors! By proactively approaching your Executive, you’re letting him/her know that you are worth investing in. Whether you are looking to take on more responsibility, or you have your eye on a conference that will further your professional development, asking for constructive feedback is a great way to turn your goals into a reality!

Convinced? Good!

Now that you know why constructive feedback is so important, go plug some 1:1 time on your Executive’s calendar to have this fruitful conversation.

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Written by: Julia Francis