You say you want feedback – but do you show up to your team as open to it?
I was coaching a leader of a group of leaders who was passionate about developing his team —35 leaders on his team to be exact.
At the beginning of our work together, he shared something with me:
“The people on my team won’t give me candid, honest feedback. They don’t open up to share ideas in meetings. I know it’s essential and needed. And I ask for feedback. So why won’t my team be real with me?”
As we worked with him and his 35 leaders as a group, a few things became clear:
● He believed in the importance of feedback and wanted to receive it.
● His team had feedback to give him, but there was a disconnect.
● Any time his team would try to give feedback, the senior leader’s natural wiring (or leadership DNA) would show up in an unhelpful way.
● What he saw as having a conversation and asking follow-up questions showed up to his team as arguing, being defensive, and proving why he was right.
As a result of The Coach Approach principles, this leader had a mindset shift and began implementing strategies to help him welcome and receive feedback more effectively.
The senior leader:
● Gained a new level of self-awareness of his natural wiring and its impact on his team,
● Created a mindset shift internally,
● Learned why adapting his approach would yield better response,
● Practiced new strategies to close the feedback gap.
The result?
✔️A LOT of problem solving happened for the division!
✔️There was more collaboration and brainstorming of ideas and best practices across business units.
✔️The team was able to accomplish MORE IN THAT YEAR than they had PREVIOUSLY!
The lesson?
When receiving feedback, many leaders respond immediately, thinking they are explaining or clarifying.
But people often hear it as reasoning, justifying, arguing, not being open, and not listening.
→ → → That’s why it’s important to CREATE SPACE FOR FEEDBACK from others and PRACTICE ACKNOWLEDGING IT without having to offer a response, explanation or justification.
It’s always exciting to see a client level-up their leadership and reap the benefits of being willing to grow!