This year give yourself the gift of gathering feedback from other people. Try this: interview two people – one you work with and one at home. These should be people who are important to you, people who know you well, people you have some history with.\n\nThe interview and be done in person or via telephone and should take approximately fifteen minutes. Explain that you want to find out more about yourself from his/her perspective.  Then ask the following questions and take notes:\n

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  • What would you call my strengths (at work/in the family/in our relationship?)

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  • If you really stretched your imagination what would you say are my weakness or areas of improvement?

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  • If I had any blind spots, what do you think they might be?

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  • In your opinion, what are the conditions that seem to cause me the most stress?

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  • Do I get along better with certain people or personality types?

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  • What kind of activity do I excel in?

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  • What kind of activity do I shy away from?

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  • If I were to make one change that would really improve our relationship, what might that be?

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  • If you had one piece of advice to give me what would it be?

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\nAfter the interview reflect on what you heard.  How did receiving this feedback make you feel?  How can you use this feedback to to guide your behavior?  What actions will you take based on this feedback to further your own personal growth and development\n\nProfit from Experience, Michael J. O’Brien