The Key Question

Making mistakes are a part of the process towards success. And we all know mistakes are not easy to go through. Especially cause it hurts our ego. So what’s the best way to learn from mistakes?

Thomas Edison tried over 2,000 times before he finally got the light bulb to work. He said that, from his perspective, he had never failed at all. Inventing the light bulb was just a 2,000-step process.

With that attitude there is no such thing as failure, as long as you keep moving forward. It’s the perspective that removes fear and moves you towards success. Then it emotionally sets you  free to take action, monitor your results, and adjust based on the feedback you get.

As long as you pay attention to the feedback, you will make progress.

Feedback can be the most valuable source of information. I’ve implemented a key question that I learned from a book by Jack Canfield called, The Success Principles.

It’s a question that he learned from a multimillionaire businessman that radically changed the quality of his life – a way to ask for feedback. I use it in my life and it continues to help me invaluably. In fact, I should be using it more often!

So what’s the magic question that can improve the quality of every relationship, every product you sell, every service you provide, every meeting you conduct, every class you teach and every business transaction?

The Key Question is:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate…

• our service?       • my teaching?

• our product?       • this class/workshop?

• this meeting?       • our relationship?

• our performance?       • this meal?

Any answer less than a 10 always gets this follow-up question:

“What would it take to make it a 10?”

Here is where the *really* valuable information comes from. Knowing a person isn’t satisfied is not enough. Knowing in detail what will satisfy them gives you the information you need to create a winning result.

Here’s a kicker that may challenge you. When asking for feedback you must not justify, explain, or say anything.

One of the greatest challenges is to set an appropriate context of trust so that the person feels comfortable providing you with honest *real and true* feedback. It’s a challenge for most people’s ego. And ultimately you have to decide what’s more important, their feedback or your ego.

Yeah, it can be a tough one. I’ve been through it too!

…There Are Two Kinds of Feedback

There are two kinds of feedback – Negative & Positive. We tend to prefer the positive –  results, money, praise, promotion, recognition, happiness, etc. It just feels better, and it tells us we’re on the right track.

We tend to dislike negative feedback – lack of results, not enough money, criticism, complaints, unhappiness, conflict, pain, etc.

However, there is as much, (if not more), useful data in negative feedback as there is in positive feedback. It tells us that we’re off track or doing the wrong thing. Negative feedback is priceless information!

You don’t have to take feedback personally. In fact taking it personally usually hinders the learning experience greatly. Instead, welcome it, be grateful for it, and use it to push you forward.

Actually, negative feedback is so valuable that one of the most important things you could do is to improve the way you respond to negative feedback. Refer to negative feedback as “ways to improve.”

…Listen to your own feedback

In addition to asking others for feedback, ask yourself for feedback as well. Your body and emotions will tell you whether or not you’re on track. When you’re relaxed and happy, that’s a good sign. When you’re exhausted, stressed, in pain, unhappy and angry, then it’s time to check yourself, [before you wreck yourself.]  …lol

Your email: