You’ve just received feedback from a career counselor. How can you use it to develop your leadership skills?

1 Step 1: Review the feedback

The first step is to review the feedback you received from your career counselor and understand what it means. Feedback can be positive, negative, or constructive, and it can focus on different aspects of your leadership, such as your communication, decision-making, problem-solving, or teamwork skills. Review the feedback carefully and try to identify the main themes, patterns, and examples that the career counselor provided. Ask yourself what you did well, what you need to improve, and what you can learn from the feedback.

2 Step 2: Reflect on the feedback

The second step is to reflect on the feedback and how it relates to your leadership goals, values, and vision. Feedback can help you gain insight into your strengths and weaknesses, but it can also challenge your assumptions, beliefs, and expectations. Reflect on how the feedback aligns with or differs from your self-assessment, your leadership style, and your desired outcomes. Ask yourself how the feedback makes you feel, what it reveals about your leadership potential, and what it motivates you to do.

3 Step 3: Respond to the feedback

The third step is to respond to the feedback and express your appreciation, questions, or concerns to your career counselor. Feedback is a two-way conversation that requires active listening, open-mindedness, and respect. Responding to the feedback can help you clarify any misunderstandings, address any gaps, or request any additional information or guidance. Ask your career counselor to explain the feedback in more detail, provide specific examples or suggestions, or recommend any resources or opportunities that can help you develop your leadership skills.

4 Step 4: Set SMART goals

The fourth step is to set SMART goals based on the feedback and your leadership aspirations. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They help you define what you want to achieve, how you will measure your progress, and when you will accomplish your results. Setting SMART goals can help you focus your efforts, prioritize your actions, and track your improvement. Write down your SMART goals and share them with your career counselor for feedback and support.

6 Step 6: Monitor and evaluate your progress

The sixth step is to monitor and evaluate your progress towards your SMART goals and your leadership development. Monitoring and evaluating your progress can help you assess your performance, identify your achievements, and recognize your areas of improvement. Use the feedback, the indicators, and the deadlines that you set to measure your progress and compare it with your expectations. Seek feedback from your career counselor, your peers, your mentors, or your supervisors to validate your progress and adjust your goals or strategies if needed.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?