The 10/10 technique is a simple yet effective way of gathering feedback to improve your management skills.

Dan McCarthy, http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com, says this technique is “so effective, it’s led to dramatic improvements in leadership capability.”

He describes the process as first identifying something you want to improve such as leading a meeting, delegating, listening, or conducting a one on one.

Whenever the opportunity presents itself, you ask the question: “On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate my (fill in the blank) skills?” The answer is rarely a perfect 10, so the follow-up question should be “What would I need to do for you to rate me a 10?”

McCarthy notes that this technique works well “because it gives the manager very specific ideas for improvement, in terms of what’s important to the other person. It opens up dialog in a non-threatening way, builds trust, and creates a win-win developmental partnership.”

The 10/10 technique is very versatile – it can be used with business and personal relationships.