Debriefing
Pausing after a piece of work or an accomplishment to review the experience and identify lessons learned to carry forward.
After someone has done something there is an understandable tendency to rush on to the next task. This is especially so when things have gone well or seem unremarkable. Rushing on may sound commendable except that it leaves the previous experience un-trawled for lessons learned. It is difficult for busy people, left to their own devices, to make time to hold post mortems. You need to condone the process and ensure it happens.
There are two ways to provide the necessary help. Firstly, you can ask to be debriefed and therefore 'force' the person to pause and run over what happened. Secondly, you can ask pertinent questions and therefore force the person to think harder about their experience and what they have learned from it. What's more, adopting this simple routine also means that you are kept in touch rather than losing track of what is happening.
On all counts the most useful debriefs are ones where people tell it the way it really was, rather than trying to pull the wool over your eyes. The extent to which they feel they can be honest depends more on you and your behaviour than on them. Even the most reticent person can open up if you handle them appropriately.
Start by asking an open-ended question like 'How did it go?' Listen hard to the answer which will probably be platitudinous, something like 'Oh fine', 'Yes, it was interesting', or ' Pretty good, really'. Don't accept these as useful enough replies. Follow up immediately with a supplementary question such as 'What was interesting?' or 'What was best?' Listen hard to the answers without interruption. Nod occasionally to encourage them to say more. When you've repeated this sequence and got some specifics out of the person, round off the debriefing session by asking 'So what are you going to do better/differently in future?' Again, refuse to be fobbed off with anything vague and unspecific. Assume that people haven't learned from the experience unless they can look you in the eye and articulate precisely what they are going to carry forward into future actions.
If you get into the habit of asking to be debriefed, people will begin to anticipate the process and be better prepared. The secret of success is to keep pressing for specifics and to refuse to settle for 'motherhood and apple pie'.
Insisting on debriefs is a straightforward way to help people learn and develop. The fact that the debriefs also become a conduit to keep you informed is an added bonus.