About two years ago I had the unique opportunity of going to lunch with one of the vice presidents of my corporation. She was very successful, and earned her success very quickly. She was in her mid 30’s and most other VP’s are in their late 40’s to early 50’s. I was very curious to know how she was so successful so quickly. When I asked her what the key to her success was, she said it was constructive feedback.
So what is feedback? The definition of feedback on dictionary.com is, “evaluative information derived from such a reaction or response.” When I think of constructive feedback, I think of the critiques I have received from those around me. I have had experiences where people have told me what I was doing wrong so that I could improve. I have also had experiences where I was told that the things I did worked, and I should continue to do the same.
So in the corporate world, who should you ask for constructive feedback? I would recommend you obtain the following four types of constructive feedback.
Constructive Feedback from those you lead
Those you lead see you differently than everyone else. They see your flaws and strengths as a leader from a follower perspective. In many cases, you are not the first leader they have had and you probably won’t be the last leader they will have. They have seen how the previous leader handled situations, and they now see how you lead. They can recognize the good and the bad of how you lead.
When you ask them for constructive feedback, create an environment where they feel comfortable and have your trust. If they don’t trust you, they won’t share how they really feel with you. When you ask them for feedback, be humble and willing to listen.
Some questions you can ask are:
- What am I doing that works for you or helps you to be better?
- What am I doing that needs improvement from your perspective?
- How have the differences in my leadership style affected you?
- Do you feel like your opinions are being heard by me as your leader?
In addition to the questions above, you can also ask questions about specific projects or programs that you implemented and how they were affected.
Constructive Feedback from those that lead with you
The people you lead with are often on the same level as you which makes their feedback very valuable. You probably find yourself in a lot of meetings with these same-level leaders. They see how you lead amongst your peers and can see how you run and participate in meetings. They also see how you interact with others from the perspective of another leader.
Ask them about the following:
- What do they think of your approach in different meetings?
- How do they see you interacting with others?
- From their perspective, are you delivering on your promises to them?
- In what ways are you failing, meeting, and/or exceeding their expectations?
Constructive Feedback from your leaders
When you lead, your leader can give you constructive feedback that comes in the form of guidance. Because they are your leader, they have most likely been in your situation before. In many cases, your leader has done similar things as you. They also probably have experience in similar challenges as those you face.
Take advantage of their experience and get their constructive feedback. When you face challenges, ask them for advice. Also, if you have feelings that you do things a certain way, don’t be afraid to bounce your idea off of them. If you get constructive feedback from your leader, they can help you to avoid potential pitfalls.
Constructive Feedback from your customers
Every leader has customers. Some of those customers include stock holders, community citizens, people that purchase your product, etc. Whether or not you are successful as a leader has a lot to do with how you treat your customers and whether or not they are satisfied.
Learn what your customers want and whether or not they are pleased with what you are delivering. Ask them for constructive feedback on a regular basis so you can keep them happy.
Conclusion
As a leader, you are not perfect and you probably have many weaknesses. By asking for constructive feedback regularly, you can find out what others see as your weaknesses. You can actively work to fix them and change so you can be better.
One of the worst things that can happen to a leader is a blindside. You never want to get caught off guard by something that others see you have missed. Another benefit of constructive feedback is that it helps you fix issues before they arrive.
How has constructive feedback helped you as a leader? How do you ask for constructive feedback? What lessons have you learned through constructive feedback? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Thanks for a great post. You’ve captured the real value of good quality feedback and the significant contribution it can make to professional and personal development. By asking specific questions, the feedback process can be managed and tailored (by both the feedback giver and feedback receiver) to deliver maximum benefits. A good topic Brandon!
Welcome Dawn!
Thank you for sharing your insights! I really like that you brought up the importance of asking specific questions. The use of the right specific questions can really help you to improve as a leader. If you ask all general questions, you will probably get general answers that may not benefit you as much as you would like. There are, however, a few general questions that may be useful at the end of a feedback session. An example question would be, “Is there anything else you feel I could do to be a better leader for you and your needs?” This question allows the person giving feedback to express any other concerns or questions they have on their mind.
Thank you Dawn for sharing your thoughts!
Just found your site today and it’s now in my Favorites! Great post- I got a lot out of the specific examples you gave for Feedback from Those You Lead. Do you recommend a one-on-one discussion or is a team discussion setting more effective for getting feedback?
Thanks!
Welcome Kristen!
You ask a very good question about what type of setting is the best for feedback. I think that both settings are appropriate for different types of feedback. If you want general feedback, a group setting would be great. However, if you want more personal feedback, a one-on-one setting would be better.
I really like your question, so I will actually do a post to address your question in further detail. Thanks for asking such a thought provoking question!