Good morning, this is Laura.

Welcome to the new corner office, the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the

new world of work, where location and hours are more flexible than in the past.

Today's tip is to seek out more feedback, especially when you're working remotely.

As anyone who's ever sweated while waiting for a teacher to return a test can tell you,

getting feedback isn't always fun. Putting yourself out there and waiting to hear what others think

of your best efforts can be mildly stressful at best and downright terrifying at worst.

However, plenty of research and common sense tells us that actively seeking out feedback

can help us perform better at our jobs. People who seek out feedback tend to be more creative

and are seen as more effective by their peers and supervisors and direct reports.

No matter how advanced you are in your career, there are always places to improve.

Remote workers in particular can become somewhat isolated and stuck in our own routines

and we generally talk less to others during the work day. So we get less casual feedback.

In a recent episode, I mentioned that managers should commit to doing virtual hallway coaching,

impromptu guidance after any teachable event. But in case your supervisor isn't listening to this

podcast, well, you'll need to actively seek out such feedback. The good news is that doing so

isn't rocket science. The best way to ask for feedback is to ask. Yes, these requests can feel

awkward. But so what? Feel the nerves and do it anyway. Send the person you'd like feedback from

a friendly email and let them know that you'd like to set up a quick check-in meeting to discuss

your performance. You can also just pick up the phone and call or ask if the other person can stay

on the line after your next video conference. While people tend to most want feedback from their

supervisors, don't discount colleagues. They can see how you lead meetings or how you explain ideas

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