Tell your direct report that you’re not only open to feedback, but that you want and expect it. One way to frame it is to share that self-improvement is a personal and professional commitment you’ve made to yourself — and ask for help meeting your commitment. Ask, “Would you please help me keep the commitment I’ve made to myself?” That way, your direct report can view their feedback as helping you make good on a promise you’ve made to yourself.
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Demonstrate your self-awareness by taking the lead in giving yourself constructive feedback first, which can mitigate their fears. You might say, “I know that I tend to be slow and methodical in my work, often prioritizing accuracy over action. Others have shared with me that they find my style hard to work with, especially when they’re facing a tight deadline. I’d like to get better at that. Would you share what you’ve experienced?” And then, once you have them talking, you can ask, “And is there anything else I could be working to improve right now that would make your work easier?”
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