In a speech given at the graduation ceremony of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management this week, COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg revealed the secret to maintaining her healthy working relationship with boss, Mark Zuckerberg.
Sandberg told graduates that when she joined Facebook eight years ago, she asked Mark for one single commitment:
“That he would give me feedback every week so that anything that bothered him would be aired and discussed quickly.”
“Mark not only said yes but immediately added that he wanted it to be reciprocal. For the first few years, we stuck to this routine and met every Friday afternoon to voice concerns big and small. As the years went by, sharing honest reactions became part of our relationship and we now do so in real time rather than waiting for the end of the week.”
So okay it’s no big secret, Sandberg is merely talking about honesty. But imagine applying the strategy to one’s relationship. Making a conscious effort to air grievances as and when they occur or at least on a regular basis, could be the difference between garden variety low-level simmering resentment and all-out rage. Perhaps it would even cure the resentment alltogether?
