Feedback For Leaders is More Important Than You Think

Many leaders feel that they are doing a great job. The problem is, their employees don’t always have the opportunity to give honest feedback. If leaders are already confident they are doing a good job, how can they continually improve?

Are You Your Own Best Cheerleader?

While there is nothing wrong with giving yourself credit when credit is due, do you actually know what the people around you think of your performance? Many leaders become so focused on completing tasks and meeting deadlines that they miss the problems and complaints of those that work for them.

Being able to incorporate feedback is a useful skill for improving overall success. But there has to be an opportunity for others to leave honest, valid, constructive feedback. Developing your leadership skills requires more than just a narrow-minded focus on task completion. For maximum growth potential, neuroscience tells us that you need to know what your strengths (prefrontal cortex functions that do well) and your weaknesses (limbic behaviors that lead to fight, flight or freeze) are.

Many studies have focused on what destructive leadership can do to an organisation. Research has shown that workers are happier when they exhibit positive attitudes towards the leader and that destructive leadership can lead to resistance and counterproductive work behaviour. The most harmful consequences were observed when employees had negative attitudes towards their leader (Schyns, 2013).

Get Rid Of The Idea Of ‘Hard’ Leadership Skills And ‘Soft’ Leadership Skills

To have real integration between your mind, body, and emotions, you must first make sure that you are ready to adopt some changes. One of these changes is to get rid of the idea that some leadership skills are ‘hard’ skills, such as finance, accounting and project management or ‘soft’ skills such as self-reflection, emotional intelligence, and feedback. There’s no difference in the importance of these skills--a good leader needs them all.

I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.

Ernest Hemingway

The  can give you the knowledge to become a self-sustaining learner, ready to deal with problems of increasing complexity. A feedback performance is included, which examines your performance, collaboration, innovation and agility from all aspects of your life, including family and friends.

Feedback has to be more than a one-time, yes and no answer session. An assessment that will provide valid input in this Imagination Age must meet strict criteria. It must be relevant to the 21st Century business climate and global, diverse business practices. Feedback should also focus on strengths, and offer solutions that can be customised to the needs of individuals and teams.

Receiving feedback doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. Instead, try to look at it as a means to improve your performance, and to increase integration between your body and brain. Find out what your employees appreciate and what could stand some work. Your employees will be happier and more inclined to creativity and innovation when you create an office environment that is open to feedback and interactions.

Citation:
Schyns, B.Schilling, J. (2013). How bad are the effects of bad leaders? A meta-analysis of destructive leadership and its outcomes. Leadership Quarterly, 24, 138-158.p;