Is Your Feedback Past Its Sell-By Date?
As coaches we believe that good quality feedback can support you as a leader to reach your full potential. The ability to hear challenging feedback, find the truth in it and then change your behaviour appropriately is a key trait of high-performing leaders. It takes practice (and a little humility!), but it can be learned.
Avoiding complacency requires the type of feedback that brings into the light some of your unhelpful behavioural traits and states that you may be blind to. Good feedback is given with positive intent. It doesn’t let people off the hook but compassionately allows them to genuinely begin to perform to the best of their ability and become the best leader they can be. It requires trust, vulnerability and courage but this type of feedback can save a leader. In the TOWARD Resilience Model we have identified one of the key characteristics as Openness to Feedback. Resilient organisations have leaders who are open to feedback and who actively create a culture of honesty and trust.
However, here’s an important word of caution. Sometimes leaders can focus too much on negative or dated feedback, from a previous line manager, for example, that is no longer true or relevant. The best quality feedback is in the moment, in the here and now.
So, make the most of good, nourishing and challenging feedback today and try to notice when previous feedback is past its sell-by date.
The TOWARD Team