Providing coaching or feedback is one of the main duties of people in leadership roles. A leader’s job usually revolves around keeping a team on pace to achieve goals, improving performance, and upholding standards. Therefore, keeping their team updated on these factors is extremely important. But who plays this role for the leaders themselves? How do they know they are performing adequately, and what keeps them aware of their effectiveness as leaders? An obvious answer might be the leader’s boss, but an even better source of insight is their team. Since employees interact with their leader more than others, they serve as an excellent source of viable and actionable feedback.
According to Leanne Atwater (a professor of management) and her research partners, who conducted a study on the influence of upward feedback, many companies have begun adopting the “360-feedback” model. In this model, workers receive input from all levels of their organization. However, many companies still prioritize a top-down approach to feedback, creating a culture where leaders are unprepared to receive feedback from those lower in the hierarchy.
While working for a large investment firm, I learned that many leaders view feedback as a one-way conversation, flowing only top-down. I had a supervisor who often gave vague directions, which frequently led to my work and the entire team’s work needing to be redone. After repeatedly receiving unclear instructions, I decided to ask for clearer direction. Following yet another task redo, I messaged her, “Could you be a bit more detailed in your instructions in the future, please?”
Immediately after sending that message, my supervisor, who was in another state, called and began shouting at me. She accused me of being disrespectful and saw my comment as a “slap in the face.” Although I had dealt with irate customers in previous jobs, I had never been treated this way by a leader. I was stunned by her reaction. In hindsight, I should have approached the situation differently, perhaps discussing it over a video call, which I covered briefly in my post Leading in a Virtual Environment. However, I never expected such an aggressive response. During that phone call, I apologized and asked if there was a preferred way for me to provide feedback, whether over video call or in our one-on-one meetings. She seemed confused by the question and responded, “Why would you need to do that?” It was clear she saw no value in receiving feedback from those who worked under her.
I know I am not the only person who has experienced an extreme reaction when attempting to provide feedback to a leader. A Deloitte survey on worker engagement in 2014 stated that many employees see mistreatment from their employer as “normal,” and yes, screaming at employees is mistreatment. Providing feedback to someone with more power or authority can be extremely intimidating. When employees don’t feel safe to do so, they can easily lose job satisfaction and begin to experience burnout. It’s important to build a culture that encourages the sharing of feedback from all levels, not just top-down. Let’s dive a bit deeper into why it’s important to get your employees’ feedback and what some of the benefits are.
Disconfirming Feedback is Important
As CEO coach Kim Scott mentioned in her TED Talk titled How to Lead with Radical Candor, “unchallenged beliefs become biases.” This means that if you’re never challenged on a belief or thought process, you will eventually see it as fact, even when it isn’t. Many leaders claim to have a high level of self-awareness, but chances are they don’t to the extent they think. According to Leanne Atwater and her colleagues’ study published in the journal Personnel Psychology titled “The Influence of Upward Feedback on Self and Follower Ratings of Leadership,” leaders tend to rate themselves better than their employees rate them based on performance and leadership capabilities. This discrepancy suggests that leaders are often less self-aware than they believe.
It’s important to invite the opportunity to hear things that challenge what you think or believe. This allows you to learn and grow. By allowing your employees to give you feedback on your performance, you gain valuable insight into how you can improve. No one is perfect, and everyone has room for improvement, regardless of how long you’ve been in the game. You might be confident in your methods, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t or shouldn’t improve. With my supervisor at the investment firm, my feedback could have helped her communicate better, leading to fewer mistakes by her team. Unfortunately, because of her strictly top-down approach to feedback, she never improved, and not only I but the whole team, kept having to redo work.
Different People Need Different Things
Every person is different and needs different things from their leaders. Some people need more attention from their leader, while others need space to work independently. Some employees do their best work under pressure, while others need more time to complete tasks. This means that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. You may have an overarching leadership style, but you need to tailor your approach based on the individuals you are working with.
The best way to understand the needs of your team is by receiving feedback from them. Allow them to communicate how they need you to lead them. If you assume that your leadership style works well with everyone, you may be in for a rude awakening. You may end up alienating some of your employees because of the tone you are used to using with others, or you could have another employee struggle in their work because they don’t feel supported enough. Allowing your employees to provide feedback will not only show where you need to improve as a leader but also how best to support them.
Receptive Leaders Build Receptive Teams
The authors of Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership highlight that the more willing you are as a leader to accept feedback, the more likely people will be to accept it from you. Exercising authority alone is often not enough to get the best out of your team. People need to want to follow you to feel motivated to do their best work. Allowing your team to give feedback and share their input not only provides valuable insight into your performance but also incentivizes them to follow your guidance. When team members see that their feedback is valued and appreciated, they are more likely to value yours.
Creating an open feedback culture starts with modeling the behavior you wish to see. When leaders actively seek and respond to feedback, it sets a powerful example for the entire team. This openness can lead to improved communication, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of trust within the team. Trust, in turn, enhances collaboration and innovation, as team members feel safe to express their ideas and concerns without fear of retribution. Moreover, feedback is a two-way street that fosters continuous learning and development. As a leader, being open to feedback helps you stay aware of your blind spots and areas for improvement. It shows your team that you are committed to personal growth and are willing to adapt and evolve. This humility can inspire your team members to do the same, creating a culture of continuous improvement.
Feedback is an essential part of building working relationships and improving performance within a team. As a leader, you will likely provide a significant amount of it but don’t forget how important it is to receive feedback from your team. Since your employees experience your leadership firsthand, they offer valuable insights into how you can improve. And yes, everyone has room for improvement, regardless of how long you’ve been a leader.
Being open to disconfirming feedback can help you see things from a new perspective and prevent you from becoming set in your ways. Give your team the opportunity to let you know what they each need from you as a leader and remember that everyone will need slightly different things. Lastly, the more willing you are to accept feedback from your team, the more willing they will be to accept feedback from you. This openness to feedback fosters a culture of mutual respect and continuous improvement, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and high-performing team.
References:
ATWATER, LEANNE, et al. “The influence of upward feedback on self‐ and follower ratings of leadership.” Personnel Psychology, vol. 48, no. 1, Mar. 1995, pp. 35–59, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1995.tb01745.x.
Scott, Kim. “How to Lead with Radical Candor | Kim Scott | TEDxPortland.” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Oct. 2023, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hDTLo5rLA.
Kouzes, James M., and Barry Z. Posner. Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership: How to Make a Difference Regardless of Your Title, Role, or Authority. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2021.
Featured Image by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash
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