Time for a sensing session
"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Theodore Roosevelt
I love the quote above. I heard it often as a young leader. Sensing sessions are a great way to show how much you care about your people. In my book, "It's Personal, Not Personnel," I shared how I dedicated 1/3rd of my calendar to investing in people activities such as, counseling and appraising my people, family programs, leader development, and sensing sessions.
Sensing (or feedback) sessions gather grass-roots feedback from sub-populations in your organization seeing problems through the lens of your people. Sensing sessions can help you steer your organization better and create better work environments for the people who serve in them. They also provide a good platform to explain things to organizational members. They are not a complaint department nor should they be a speaking platform for organizational leaders. They are a place for leaders to listen, understand and explain. They should be constructive sessions where problems are understood. Here are 4 of 10 tips on how to (and not to) conduct them. Sorry, not sorry, you'll have to contact me for the rest!
Listen. Refrain from speaking unless addressing a question or concern.
Set the tone. Ensure your members know you are here to listen and want their honest feedback. Tell them their comments are non-attribution and for the betterment of the organization.
Conduct them in a closed room or zoom session (with cameras on) where attendees are comfortable and can speak with candor.
While striving for diversity, consider segregating populations to ensure good feedback. i.e. subordinates may be reluctant to speak up about something if their immediate supervisor is there.
These are important sessions and they can go wrong without the proper preparation and conduct. That said, don't over think this. You'll end up never conducting them. Carve out the time and assemble your people. You'll be awakened.
Holler if I can help!
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell