The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

DEVELOPING SELF-AWARENESS / 17

Keeping a journal

Keeping a journal is a good way to help you

learn from experience. Journals are similar to

diaries, but include entries that address critical

aspects of your managerial experiences and

reflect on interactions with bosses, employees,

and team-mates. If you want to solicit feedback,

post your journal as an online blog.

Journal entries could describe:

A good (or bad) way someone

handled a situation

A problem in the

making

The different ways people

react to situations

Comments about insightful

or interesting quotations

Anecdotes, newspaper articles,

or even humorous cartoons

Your thoughts on people in the

news, or in books or movies

In focus

FEEDBACK

It is important to have a person

in your life who gives you honest,

gut-level feedback, to help

you gain perspective on your

experiences and learn from them.

This should be someone you trust

enough to go to when you have

real problems and ask, “Am I off

base here? Am I crazy?”

This person could be a partner, a

mentor, a best friend, a coworker,

a therapist, or a personal coach.

Today, many organizations

are providing their managers

with 360-degree feedback,

allowing them to receive

insights on their strengths

and weaknesses from other

members of staff.

US_016-017_Developing_Self_Awareness.indd 17 23/06/16 2:19 pm