The Gift of Feedback

Key Takeaways

• Get feedback by analyzing your team’s behavior
• Getting feedback is scarce, but giving it doesn’t have to be

It’s the holiday season and there is no better time to talk about the greatest gift in leadership: feedback. In fact, there is no better gift a leader can either receive or give.

One of the things that makes feedback such an excellent gift is that it is scarce — just like the hottest holiday gift that no one can find. That scarcity requires leaders to go out, seek it and be creative in finding it. Incorporating feedback is an important part of stewardship and responsibility.

I was recently working with a group of leaders and the conversation turned to how difficult it is for a leader to receive honest, candid feedback from their team. The group agreed that one of the best ways to acquire feedback on your leadership is by analyzing your team’s behavior.

Feedback can come in many forms, and one of the best is a team’s behavior.  A team’s behavior is the outcome of many factors, but it often reflects a team’s culture — and that culture is a direct reflection of leadership. This is also a great way to get feedback on an ethical climate and decision making.

At the end of the day, you have to give yourself the gift of feedback by comparing your leadership to your team’s actions. But it’s the gift that keeps on giving because it can help you further develop into the leader you have always wanted to be.