153: Adam Grant | How to Know the Real You Better

Feedback

Effective feedback strategies are crucial for personal and professional growth. Adam Grant emphasizes the importance of creating a safe environment for honest feedback by asking simple, non-threatening questions like, "What's the one thing I could do better?" This approach encourages candid responses and helps individuals improve by recognizing their strengths and weaknesses 1. He also highlights the "reflected best self" exercise, which allows people to understand their strengths and use them productively 1. Grant shares his personal experience of receiving feedback about his anxiety affecting others, which motivated him to work with a speaking coach 2.

I thought I really, I mean, I guess I was just so anxious that what I was doing to cover it up only just scratched the surface.

--- Adam Grant

Jordan Harbinger adds that understanding one's "reflected worst self" can also be beneficial, as it reveals areas for improvement 2.

   

Bridgewater

Bridgewater's feedback system exemplifies a rigorous approach to performance evaluation. Adam Grant describes how employees are rated on 77 dimensions of performance in real-time, fostering an environment of transparency and accountability 3. This system includes a "believability score," which assesses the accuracy of feedback based on past performance, discouraging manipulation of the feedback process 3. Jordan Harbinger notes that this method helps mitigate cognitive biases by encouraging individuals to accept critical feedback as a tool for improvement 4.

They have all bought into a system and opted in where they agree that they're going to listen to critical feedback because they want to help each other get better.

--- Adam Grant

This culture of honesty and improvement is reinforced by the collective commitment to personal and professional growth.

   

Trust

Trust plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of feedback. Adam Grant discusses the challenge of trusting feedback from those we may not like, using the example of astronauts who must rely on each other despite personal differences 5. He explains that while people often seek positive reinforcement, there is also a strong desire to be seen accurately, aligning self-perception with how others view them 6. Jordan Harbinger shares his preference for being trusted over being liked in business contexts, emphasizing that trust is more valuable for long-term success 6.

It's better to do business with people that you trust. I'd rather do business with people that I trust but don't necessarily like than people that I like, but don't necessarily trust.

--- Jordan Harbinger

This perspective highlights the importance of building trust to facilitate honest and constructive feedback.