Power Play: Give feedback on the spot

Power Players are terrific at incorporating feedback the moment it’s required. Don’t stockpile or wait for that so-called appropriate moment that may never come.

Power Players know that helping good talent become great is the way to keep the best minds, and it’s also the right thing to do.

If you plan on becoming a real Power Player, seize every opportunity to give constructive advice to those who seek your guidance and counsel.

The trick here, or course, is to do it with kindness and tact. Giving feedback gently is a talent that the best Power Players hone early on in their careers, and they know that the best lessons happen in the moment.

On the spot feedback is gold, and means Power Players grow a loyal team who seek their help and incorporate their lessons into their daily work.

The story

I worked with a smart young woman who was a terrible presenter.

She’d use 500 words when 50 would do and had the awful habit of burying the lead. I’d give her feedback on the spot in private rehearsals by showing her how else she could tell the story and, after a while, she became a fantastic presenter.