Giving & Receiving Feedback: Get Good At It!

Summary

In this video, Jenny Clark, a conscious leadership expert, highlights two critical leadership competencies: decision-making and effective feedback. She emphasizes how leaders often struggle with providing and receiving feedback due to people-pleasing or conflict-avoidance behaviors. Clark stresses the importance of feedback in employee engagement, performance, and company profitability, offering practical tips for delivering and receiving feedback effectively. She also shares personal experiences, demonstrating how feedback can lead to career growth and transformation, urging leaders to embrace it as both a responsibility and an opportunity for improvement.

Takeaways

• 😀 Effective leadership today requires better decision-making and communication, yet many leaders struggle with people-pleasing and conflict avoidance.
• 😀 Only a small percentage of people (3-5%) consider themselves good at giving feedback, despite the fact that 65% of employees desire more feedback.
• 😀 A lack of feedback leads to disengagement, with 98% of employees becoming disengaged when they receive too little or no feedback.
• 😀 Highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once a week, which results in higher profitability (23% more).
• 😀 Providing feedback is a responsibility of leaders, and it fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.
• 😀 To give feedback effectively, it should be specific, timely, respectful, and balanced, addressing actions, behaviors, or outcomes rather than personal traits.
• 😀 Avoid the 'sandwich approach' of giving feedback, as it can dilute the message and reduce its effectiveness.
• 😀 When receiving feedback, it’s important to stay open-minded, reflect, and seek clarification to ensure the feedback is understood.
• 😀 Feedback is a gift, and leaders should never shy away from it because it helps people grow and improves overall team performance.
• 😀 Leaders should be mindful of cultural, gender, and racial differences when giving feedback but should always be equitable and avoid biases.
• 😀 The concept of 'feedforward' focuses on providing suggestions for future behavior rather than looking back on past mistakes, which can be more constructive for individuals who are less self-aware.

Q & A

What are the two leadership competencies the speaker discusses?

The two leadership competencies discussed are decision-making and effective communication, specifically related to giving and receiving feedback.

Why do many leaders struggle with decision-making, according to the speaker?

Leaders struggle with decision-making due to people-pleasing behaviors and conflict avoidance, which impair their ability to make sound decisions.

What impact does lack of feedback have on employees and organizations?

Lack of feedback can lead to employee disengagement, passive-aggressive behaviors, dishonesty, and a toxic work environment. It can ultimately harm organizational profitability and employee morale.

How does feedback contribute to employee engagement and organizational success?

Feedback helps employees understand their performance, align efforts with organizational goals, and fosters continuous improvement. Engaged employees contribute to higher profitability and a positive work culture.

What are some best practices for giving effective feedback?

Best practices include being specific and timely, focusing on actions or behaviors rather than personality, balancing positive and constructive feedback, using 'I' statements, and being sensitive to the individual’s feelings.

What is the 'sandwich approach' in feedback, and why is it discouraged?

The 'sandwich approach' involves presenting feedback by saying something positive, then a constructive criticism, and ending with something positive again. It's discouraged because it can dilute the core message, making it harder for the individual to hear the constructive feedback clearly.

What is the key to receiving feedback effectively?

The key to receiving feedback effectively is to remain open-minded, avoid defensiveness, ask for specific examples, reflect on the feedback, and follow up to show commitment to improvement.

How can cultural, gender, and racial differences influence feedback delivery?

Cultural, gender, and racial differences can impact how feedback is received or perceived. Leaders must be mindful of these factors to ensure feedback is delivered equitably and in a way that the recipient can understand and accept.

What is 'feed forward' and how does it differ from traditional feedback?

'Feed forward' is a concept where feedback is focused on future improvement rather than evaluating past actions. It suggests offering advice on how someone can improve moving forward instead of criticizing past mistakes.

Why does the speaker believe feedback is an essential responsibility of leaders?

The speaker believes feedback is an essential responsibility because it shows that leaders care about their employees’ growth and performance. Not providing feedback is seen as irresponsible and detrimental to both the individual and the organization.