Feedback on Leadership Performance – A Critical Success Factor

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Obtaining effective feedback can be a challenge for a leader and those reporting to them, and yet this is critical to the success of the executive and their organisation.

Many studies have shown that good news travels with great rapidity upwards through an organisation while bad news rarely travels upwards with any accuracy or fluidity. There is a natural reluctance from subordinates to give the “boss” bad news. What if they decide to “shoot the messenger”?

Imagine then the reluctance of subordinates to give a CEO or leader some honest feedback about their leader’s own performance. Many people complain about a lack of useful performance feedback. Research indicates that the accuracy of feedback becomes less consistent the higher the manager’s position, or the more complex and difficult the role.

Another reason why leaders do not seek out and receive this important feedback is the belief that they are unable to change. Interestingly, subordinates often give the same reasoning: “why would you give the boss this feedback? They’ll never change.”

Ironically the higher a leader’s position in an organisation, the more critical it is that the leader receives that feedback. Lack of feedback to a leader leads to a lack of self-awareness, and accurate self-awareness from a leader is a key ingredient in successful companies. A study of CEOs by Eric Harter found that self-awareness of leadership abilities was greatest for the CEOs of best performing companies and poorest for the CEOs of worst performing companies. In the case of the poorer performing companies the gap between subordinates’ ratings of the leader’s competencies and the leader’s own assessment was significant. While most people tend to overestimate their own abilities to an extent, poorer performers exaggerate their abilities the most.

So what is the first step in attaining a higher level of self-awareness and therefore better business results? Paradoxically it is having the strength to acknowledge your vulnerability and to actively seek out both informal and formal feedback and to welcome it, whether affirming or challenging. In that one action you open the communication with those around you and demonstrate to yourself and others that change is possible – the old dog has already learnt a new trick.

Great leaders have the courage to actively seek out honest feedback, a willingness to try something different to achieve improved results, and readiness to seek out resources to assist them to change.

Contact us to get more effective feedback on your leadership performance, or find out more about leadership development coaching.

Return to the Stepshift Leadership Blog for more business advice.