day 1309: Feedback

"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test."

You can read about debate around 360 degree feedback. Many feel it is the best development tool every created and the others say that it is so random in giving and receiving of the feedback that they feel it is almost dangerous to people. On both sides of the debate though is the agreement that everyone should have some sort of testing and feedback given to them on a regular and frequent basis. Companies have many ways of collecting feedback and providing that back to people. There are all kinds of tests that can be administered to see how someone is being perceived and then growing or not within that feedback. If you are a leader and have not done something like this before, I encourage you to do so. Having a mirror placed in front of you and then testing yourself is a good thing. Athletes do it all the time to measure and monitor their status and progress. It is awards seasons in the entertainment industry, which is their own 360 degree feedback process. There is no reason we in our jobs shouldn't be doing the same.

Even we as believers need to be constantly testing and monitoring where we are within our spiritual walk with God. Paul says this to the church in Corinth; "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test." Maybe what we need more today than a work 360 is a good spiritual 360 test. All feedback methods start with a self-assessment. Right now we can start with asking ourselves how committed are we in deepening and strengthening our relationship with the Lord? If the answer is that we are deeply committed, then the actions have to back up the belief with our time in the Word, time in prayer and time in fellowship with other believers. If we want to work to our purpose we have to be prepared and spiritually fit, no different in how we work so hard to be prepared and fit for the work we do for our jobs. Maybe now would be a good time to do a little testing to see where you stack up against what you believe and what you are doing against those beliefs. You may not like the results but like a 360 degree feedback tool, you can't improve upon what you don't recognize and know.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 13:5 (New Living Translation)