By Jeff Bell.
Last week I wrote about Difficult Feedback.
I used the definition of feedback as a response that carries information about how an action has been received. The feedback will cause the initiator to repeat, cease or reflect on modifications to that action.
This week I write about what may be even more difficult–asking for feedback on our own leadership.
Of course, as leaders, we spend most of our time and energy getting things done–we will get feedback as we go; and often we may miss those subtle responses that deserve serious attention. If we are stressed, we may miss even the most obvious of feedback–and those, having given it, will probably become disappointed in our capacity to lead.
So what to do?
We can hand over the process to an independent external (or inhouse practitioner in a big organisation), armed with a 360 degree survey. These are standardised tests, administered to the stakeholders that surround the leader and can provide highly useful information. Such surveys require a professional–an organisational psychologist–for nuanced interpretation and extrapolation to the leader and the responders. The price will be a combination of licensing fee for the instrument and the briefings and reports by the psych.
For personalised, more interactive and instant feedback on our own performance as leader, here is a process that emerged at General Electric in the 1970s, called the New Leader Assimilation Exercise. It is updated and detailed in Insight, by Tasha Eurich:
This survey, involving live verbal feedback in a work group, will require a skilled and experienced facilitator. The leader’s followers (probably the leadership team) will probably get as much learning out of the process as the leader:
- The leader (let’s use “Lee”) introduces the activity, taking responsibility for asking the team for their feedback on “My leadership”–while reassuring them that the session will be led and the responses collated by the facilitator, anonymously. Lee then leaves the room.
- The facilitator re-iterates the rule for anonymity and asks for comments to be respectful and based on Lee’s behaviours. The facilitator then refers to 7 flip-charts on the wall, each with a previously-prepared question:
- What do we know about Lee?
- What do we want to know about Lee?
- What should Lee know about us as a team?
- What concerns do we have about Lee?
- What expectations do we have of Lee?
- What do we want Lee to SSC–stop doing, start doing, continue doing?
- What feedback do we have about our vision, our strategy and our plan?
In this 45-min session, the facilitator poses each question and records the verbal responses on each chart.
- The facilitator calls a 10min break and brings Lee back into the room to read the comments. The facilitator provides any clarification to Lee and emphasises the need for calm and non-defensive responses in the next session.
- In the re-assembled group, the facilitator asks Lee for a several-minute life background–siblings, growing up, experiences, values etc.–intended to enhance trust with the group.
- The facilitator asks Lee to respond to the comments, one question at a time. Some may require just an acknowledgement, others some a commitment to improvement, others again may require discussion and a plan. The session lasts for about 90min. and the facilitator will promote a calm and reflective approach by all. The style is conversational and the facilitator may highlight any commitments made by Lee and the team. A digital image of each chart is taken, to be kept in a centrally available file.
The event should ideally become an annual or even bi-annual one, with a register of commitments and their progress. The same process may be cascaded through the business under each member of the leadership team.
Incidentally, the price will be based on the facilitator’s rate, with no licensing fee payable.
Such a process, sensitively applied, may produce a great ongoing conversation about leadership. The main feature in this is the openness of the leader, as well as the potential for ownership by all parties of influence and decision-making.
And hopefully, guidance for emerging influencers about how they may come to leadership roles.