Session Five: Feedback
Providing feedback, both positive and constructive, is a critical part of leadership. Senior Managers should be skilled at delivering compliments and criticism in a way that is well-received and leads to improved performance.
“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.”
Self-Assessment:
Feedback
Please take a few moments to contemplate the following self-reflection questions. Where can you identify opportunities for personal growth in your leadership approach?
1. Am I proactive in offering feedback, or do I tend to wait for formal review processes?
2. Do I ensure that my feedback is specific, actionable, and focused on behavior or outcomes rather than personal attributes?
3. Do I actively seek feedback from my team members, peers, and superiors?
4. Am I defensive, or do I approach it with an open mind and a willingness to learn and grow?
5. Have I established a culture of open and honest feedback within my team or organization?
6. How do I follow up on feedback discussions to ensure that action is taken and progress is made?
7. Do I view feedback as a reciprocal process where I also learn from those I lead?
8. How do I encourage a culture where team members feel comfortable providing upward feedback?
Take your time and reflect upon these questions honestly. Going forward, use your responses as a tool to assess how well you manage feedback and discover the areas that need development.
The lights over the audience dimmed on cue as the conductor strode toward the podium and took a bow. Next, he turned around and gave the downbeat for the orchestra to begin. What followed was a masterful performance of dozens of musicians playing perfectly in harmony and rhythm. Was the successful concert a product of chance? No. It was the result of the conductor giving and receiving feedback about the music and the performers playing it throughout rehearsals and during the concert.
All around us are other examples of how great feedback leads to a great performance: the coach of an athletic team, a fire chief directing his crew in an emergency, an army advancing in victory, and of course, the leader of a high performing team.
In every instance listed above, effectively giving and receiving feedback leads to success. As a Senior Manager, you are responsible for providing feedback and must develop the skills to do so in a manner that is both constructive and welcome. When done properly, this responsiveness creates an environment where constructive feedback is not feared, but seen as a valuable tool for driving both individual and collective growth. Alternatively, the lack of constructive feedback can be detrimental to your employees, depriving them of vital mentorship and growth opportunities. Giving feedback is essential for being an effective leader and facilitating a workplace where feedback is welcomed.
Effective feedback not only improves morale, but fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Remember :
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines feedback as “the transmission of evaluative or corrective information about an action.” In life, we both give feedback and have to receive it. It’s a powerful force - and once embraced, can serve as a valuable tool for improving our performance and interactions with others.
Unfortunately, both of these can present challenges in our daily lives. Many of us lack the proper training to give good feedback, and similarly, we often don’t have the personal coaching to receive it constructively. However, if we take the time to develop our feedback skills on both ends of the spectrum, not only will our teams flourish but our personal lives will thrive as well.
Let’s begin by dispelling the notion that feedback is only given when something goes wrong or it’s time for the year-end review. Instead, let’s start thinking about this method of responsiveness with a different mindset: that we can cultivate an environment of healthy, productive, and consistent feedback to help us and others grow. Rather than hitting people randomly with our feedback, let’s deepen our relationships with others so that these exchanges become a natural part of our interactions with them. Going forward, embrace the mindset that feedback does not have to be tedious.
We should also do away with reminders of past interactions with the person to whom you are giving feedback. Past interactions are water under the bridge, and you should give the other person the benefit of a clean slate when constructing the feedback you need to provide.
To effectively give feedback, we should make it SMART:
S - Simple
Clearly define what needs to be addressed and speak only to that issue. Keeping it simple will help you clearly deliver your message and preserve your emotional energy when giving the needed feedback.
M - Meaningful
Once you have simply identified the issue, determine how to share it from a personal point-of-view. Giving feedback is most effective when delivered in the context of your personal wisdom and experience, so be sure to approach the other person in a way that speaks personally to them.
If you plan on how you will meaningfully give the feedback, the other person will know that you are not speaking off-the-cuff, and are more likely to be receptive.
One of the best ways to do this is to think of the person’s personality and tailor your delivery to match their personal style. If the other person is a “thinker,” give the feedback, but be sure to follow up with them later, giving them a chance to respond to the feedback once they’ve had time to process. If they have a strong personality, speak respectfully but confidently. If they have a fun, enjoyable personality, make sure that you give the feedback in such a way so that they won’t misinterpret the feedback as personal.
Jack Craven writes, “Feedback is wisdom. If your mindset is that you are sharing wisdom, your tone and message will likely be better received and lead to the results that you want.” That summarizes meaningful feedback accurately.
A - Accurate
Be accurate when describing the issue. Don’t try circumventing the issue and unintentionally misrepresenting the matter at hand, but accurately state the issue creating the need for feedback with thoughtfulness and respect. Keeping your emotions calm will help you deliver the feedback more accurately.
R - Respectful
Every meaningful relationship we have is built on a foundation of respect. If you approach the other person with basic, human respect, you ensure your feedback is meaningful and impactful. Without it, your feedback might be ignored or dismissed.
If you desire to prove you are giving respect when giving feedback, open the door for two-way communication about the issue at hand. Once you have given your feedback, seek your own feedback from the other person on their understanding about what you said. Then, ask, “how can I help you accomplish this?”
Very few people actually take the time to ask for feedback from the other person on the feedback they just gave. You will set yourself apart as a leader when you can simply, meaningfully, and considerately provide feedback and then open the door for the other person to respond. Offering to help them accomplish what you’ve expressed will garner amazing respect that can dramatically improve your relationship with the other person.
T - Timely
Creating a culture of positive feedback requires that it must be given in a timely manner. Delaying it until annual or quarterly reviews can be seen as a lack of courage and initiative on your part, undermining your position and leadership in the eyes of the other party. It takes bravery to incorporate feedback in a timely, regular manner, but that’s what respected, inspiring leaders do.
Keep your feedback SMART:
Simple. Meaningful. Accurate. Respectful. Timely.
Now that we’ve figured out how to give feedback effectively, how are we to receive it just as graciously?
No one is immune to receiving feedback, not even the most successful CEOs. And the reason is simple: effective leaders aren’t afraid of feedback, a quality their employees and team members not only recognize, but take advantage of, knowing their voices will be heard. These leaders are demonstrating a growth mindset by encouraging an honest and proactive workplace culture. Employees at every level are encouraged to believe that they can learn and improve, utilizing their potential for growth.
To receive feedback effectively, we should:
Be humble
Humility is a key component for determined, effective leadership. Rick Warren perhaps defined the trail best when he said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
To test your capacity for humility when receiving feedback, ask yourself, “Am I more worried about how this feedback makes me look, or am I more concerned with how the issues it raises impacts those around me?” This question helps assess whether your focus lies on your personal image or the broader implications for those with whom you work.
If you are focused on others when receiving feedback, they will know it, and you may find that when you next give feedback, your employees will listen more intently.
Listen with an open mind
Take time to reflect upon the feedback you’re being given before forming a response. When you are ready to speak, take a moment to pause to ensure you heard what was said with an open mind. There is no need for defensiveness, especially if you have received feedback in a SMART manner. Even if feedback was delivered poorly, take a deep breath and look for the “why” behind what was said.
Adopt a long-term perspective on your career and success
Receiving feedback is easier for leaders who have the “long-view” of their career in mind; deep inside, you realize that learning from feedback is just one step on the broader journey of leadership development. A leader who is humble and open-minded, with a forward-looking focus, isn’t rattled by feedback, and even welcomes it. Undeterred by criticism, an effective leader is motivated by the pursuit of growth. They embrace challenges at every level on their path to success.
Be willing to change
An unwillingness to change means you have neglected every suggestion above: humility, open mindedness, and taking a long view on your career and success. An unwillingness to change will short-circuit your growth and career, making you ineffective as a leader. And should your employees or team model your poor example, they’ll be just as unwilling to receive your feedback.
You’ve seen how to properly give and receive feedback. Thankfully, the responsibility doesn't have to be yours alone. By utilizing these strategies, you can cultivate a culture of effective feedback that benefits everyone within the organization.
Here are some best practices for creating a feedback-friendly workplace:
Keep your workplace and relationships positive:
Cultivate a positive workplace and the effectiveness of your feedback will soar. Why is that? Because when you create an environment free of negativity–removing it from within yourself, your team, and the organization– it cannot infiltrate your feedback.
This is not to suggest you should shy away from constructive criticism; having hard conversations with helpful negative feedback is essential. This is especially true when dealing with task-focused or task-related issues. When the situation is dire or an immediate fix is required, providing strong corrective feedback may be the difference between success and failure. However, when the feedback is given in an environment that’s overall positive, the end result will always be more productive.
We cannot overstate how important it is to convey through your actions and words that feedback is a good thing for all to pursue. Make it a part of your culture and openly promote it as a positive part of who you are as a team. Resist the stereotype that feedback is something negative, and reward those who make feedback a part of their work lifestyle.
“There is little success where there is little laughter.”
Remain consistent in providing and seeking feedback:
If you want to create an environment of effective feedback, strive to make feedback an ever-present reality in all you do.
Inconsistent leaders provide inconsistent feedback, leading to inconsistent results and inconsistent team unity. Consistent leaders provide SMART feedback and thereby create trust in their relationships and on their teams. They further build trust by openly seeking feedback for themselves.
Cultivating trust is the ultimate goal of any relationship and is the centerpiece to creating an environment of positive, effective feedback. If we choose to seek solid feedback from our colleagues, we will develop long lasting bonds of trust, along with increased productivity.
Know Triggers:
Sometimes feedback leaves us confused or enraged, flustered or flattened. This kind of feedback triggers us: Our heart pounds, our stomach clenches, our thoughts race and scatter. We usually think of that surge of emotion as being “in the way”— a distraction to be brushed aside, an obstacle to overcome.
However, pushing our triggered reactions aside or pretending they don’t exist is not the answer. Triggers are obstacles, but they are also information that can help us locate the source of the trouble. Understanding our triggers and sorting out what sets them off are the keys to managing our reactions and engaging in feedback conversations with skill.
3 Types of Triggers:
Truth Triggers are set off by the substance of the feedback itself — it’s somehow off, unhelpful or simply untrue. In response, we feel indignant, wronged and exasperated.
Relationship Triggers are tripped by the particular person who is giving us this feedback. All feedback is colored by the relationship between giver and receiver, and we can have reactions based on what we believe about the giver or how we feel treated by the giver. Our focus shifts from the feedback itself to the audacity of the person delivering it.
Identity Triggers are all about us. Whether the feedback is right or wrong, something about it has caused our identity to come undone. We feel overwhelmed, threatened, ashamed. or off-kilter.
“In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, oh, I’m going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here’s a chance to grow.”
Receiving feedback well is a process of sorting and filtering — of learning how the other person sees things; of trying on ideas that at first seem a poor fit; of experimenting. And of shelving or discarding the parts of the feedback that in the end seem off or not what you need right now.
And it’s not just the receiver who learns. During an effective conversation, the feedback giver may come to see why their advice is unhelpful, and both parties may come to understand their relationship in a clarifying light. But, it’s nearly impossible to do this from inside our triggers. And so we make mistakes that cause us to put potentially valuable feedback into the discard pile, or just as damaging, we take to heart feedback that is better left at the curb.
Reflection Questions:
▶ Think of a leader, teacher, or mentor in your life who created an environment of effective, meaningful feedback for you. What stood out in their life and manner of providing feedback that could be an example for you to use for others?
▶ What is the first thing you need to do to begin creating an environment of effective feedback in your workplace?
As a Senior Manager, you bear significant responsibility when it comes to feedback. In order to experience growth for ourselves and others we must properly give and receive feedback. People will mirror your actions concerning feedback.
The most important part to giving or receiving feedback is to make feedback part of the process. Feedback should be a regular ritual, not an occasional blast. Making feedback a habit ensures the tiny annoyances and frustrations you harbor don’t blow up into major conflicts. The more giving and receiving feedback in lower-stakes, everyday scenarios becomes a part of your culture, feedback will become easier for you to give and receive.
A challenge for you: be that leader - the one who encompasses and models a growth mindset. Start each day with feedback once you walk through your office door. By honoring your peers, your team, and every person you come in contact with by giving sincere, positive feedback, they’ll see that not only are you paying attention, but that you sincerely care.
Next you ask for feedback. Here are a few statements to get you going:
"I'd really appreciate your thoughts on [specific topic]."
"Can you share your impressions on [specific project/idea]?"
"I'm looking for input on how I can improve [specific aspect of your work/personal life]. Any suggestions?"
"What are your feelings about [specific situation]?"
"I'm curious to know what you think about [specific proposal/plan]."
"How do you think I handled [specific task/situation]?"
"Do you have any constructive criticism for me regarding [specific area]?"
"I value your opinion. Could you give me some feedback on [specific task/project]?"
"What are your observations about [specific event/meeting]?"
"I'm open to feedback. Is there anything you think I could do differently regarding [specific matter]?"
By normalizing these conversations for yourself and your team, you simplify the process of giving and receiving feedback, making it much more accessible for everyone!
Elevate your understanding of Effective Feedback by taking flight with the following resources. Use this opportunity to navigate, uncover, and expand the horizons of your leadership influence.
Study: Employees Want Frequent Face-to-Face Feedback
Feedback is a Gift
Simon Sinek (video)
Overcoming Your Fear of Giving Tough Feedback
Melody Wilding
