BestPracticesbyTjaiM.Nielsen,Ph.D.,DirectorofExecutiveEducation,Deans ResearchScholar,AssistantProfessorofManagement TheCriticalImportanceandElusivenessofConsistent,Candid,and ConstructiveFeedback Consistent,candid,andconstructivefeedback(CCC)isacriticalsuccessfactorfor individuals,teams,andorganizations.Feedbackisthefuelthatpropelseffectiveness byprovidinganexternalperspectiveonperformance.Itfacilitatesanunderstanding ofwhatisworkingandwhatisnotandallowsstrengthstobeleveragedand opportunitiesdeveloped. Thepowerfulbenefitsoffeedbackapplytoteamsandorganizationsbutaremost closelylinkedwithindividualemployeedevelopment.Robustevidencefromboth researchandpracticehighlightstheimportanceofconsistent,candid,and constructivefeedbackforhighpotentialmanagers(HPMs).

s).Fromseminalresearch papersintheorganizationalscienceliteraturetocommentsfromCEOstopopular pressarticlesfromexecutivedevelopmentgurus,feedbackisessentialfor development.Itmaybethesinglemostimportantandelusiveleadershipsuccess factorIhaveencounteredinmyworkwithhundredsofexecutivesduringthepast 10years. WhyisCCCfeedbacksoimportantandvaluable,yetsoelusive?Whatarethekey obstaclesthatstandinthewayofCCCfeedbackandhowcantheybeovercome? Lastly,whatarebestpracticesfordeliveringandelicitingfeedback? ***************************** Mostmanagersandorganizationalleadersunderstandtheimportanceofproviding CCCfeedback.Indeed,manyseniorexecutivescreditmuchoftheirsuccessto feedbackreceivedfrompastmentors,bosses,andcolleagues.However,giving feedbackisuncomfortableformanybecausetheyworryitwillbemetwith defensiveness,leadtoconfrontation,andbedemoralizingordisruptive.Theseare validconcernsmotivatedbycorepsychologicaldriversofbehavior.Beyondthese concerns,manyseniorleadersassumetheirhighpotentialmanagersdonotneed feedback,astheyarealreadystrongperformers. Inreality,candidfeedbackpresentedconstructivelyforthepurposeofdevelopment isexactlywhathighpotentialmanagerscraveandrequire.Theydesperatelywant tounderstandhowtheycanimproveandsubsequentlyassumemoreresponsibility. WhileHPMsareindeedstrongperformersintheirpresentpositions,theywantand needtoknowthekeysuccessfactorsatthenextlevel.Seniorleadersmustmove beyondtheirownconcernsaboutconfrontationanddisruptiontoprovidethe feedbackthatHPMsthirstforandthatwillultimatelycontributetotheorganization. Itisanabsoluteresponsibilitytotheirorganizationsandtothepeopletheyhave beenentrustedtolead.

 Afundamentalelementofeffectiveleadershipispeopledevelopment,specifically directreports.TheprovisionofCCCfeedbackisoneofthebesttoolsforincreasing theleadershipcapabilityofothers.Withoutit,howcansomeoneimprove?Indeed, leaderswhoholdfollowersaccountableforperformancewithoutCCCfeedbackare atbestweakleadersandatworstunethicalleadersradicallyundermining theperformanceoftheirfollowersandorganizations. ProvidingCCCfeedbackeffectivelyrequiresthefollowing: (1) Focusonbenefits:Movebeyondyourownconcernaboutconfrontation anddisruption;thevastmajorityofhighpotentialscravebothpositive andconstructivefeedback. (2) Provideconsistently&frequently:Thebenefitsoffeedbackaccrue overtime,soprovideitfrequentlyandconsistently.Givingfeedbackoften makestheprocessmorecomfortableforyou,moreexpectedbyyour followers,andoverthelongtermwillbecomepartoftheculture. (3) Makeittimely:Timelyfeedbackiscritical.Givingfeedbackshortlyafter someonesbehaviorismuchmorepowerfulbecausethebehaviorin questionisfreshforeveryone,sothefeedbackcanbemorespecificand willbefocusedonmoretypicalbehaviorasopposedtoextreme examples. (4) Beclear&specific:Specificfeedbackiseasiertounderstandandismore actionable.Asimple,yeteffectiveapproachistoconcentrateoncontext, behavior,andimpact.Describingthecontext/situation,therelevant behavior,andthesubsequentimpactkeepsitsimpleandspecific. (5) Positive&negative:CCCfeedbackisoftenconceptualizedasa discussionfocusedonthemanagersareasofopportunity.However,itis veryimportanttoprovidefeedbackhighlightingthewaysthattheycan morefullyleveragetheirstrengthsaswell. (6) Differentapproachforperformanceproblems:Whenaddressing morelongtermandsignificantperformanceissues,feedbackshouldbe moreformal.Thatis,thesesessionsshouldbescheduled,private,focused, andstructured. TheelusivenessofCCCfeedbackmeansthattherearemanyHPMsandotherswho arenotreceivingthefeedbacktheyneed,desire,anddeserve.Irecommendthe followingforthosewhowouldliketoelicitmoreCCCfeedbackfromhisorherboss: (1) Tellthem:Lettingyourbossknowyouarestronglycommittedto improvingyourperformanceandwouldgenuinelyappreciatehisorher helpviaCCCfeedback,oftenservesasacatalyst.Onespecificapproachis toaskyourbosswhatyoushouldstartdoing,stopdoing,andcontinue doing. (2) Discussfuturegoals:Sharingwhatyouwanttoaccomplishinthefuture canprovideanopeningforyourbosstohelpyouwithCCCfeedback.If yourbosshasnoideawhereyouwanttogo,itwillbedifficulttoprovide feedbacktohelpyougetthere.

(3) Askforfeedbackrightafterevent/behavior:Youmayhaveconducted animportantpresentationorledanimportantprojectteammeeting. Followuptheseperformanceswithquestionsabouthowyoudid. (4) Followbyexample:Providingyourdirectreports(orpeers)withCCC feedbackisanexcellentwaytodemonstratethebenefitstoyourbossand startadialogueabouthowitwouldbenefityouaswell. (5) Suggestaschedule:Explainyourdesireforregularfeedbacktoimprove yourleadership.Askyourbossifheorshewouldbewillingtomeetwith youmonthlyfor30minutestodiscussstrengthsanddevelopmental opportunities. (6) Dontgetdefensiveorrationalize:Onceyoudoreceivefeedback,even ifdeliveredpoorly,dontgetdefensiveorstartrationalizingyour behavior.Itwilldiscourageyourbossfromtryingagain. (7) Takeaction:Everyonegetsfrustratedwhentheyprovidefeedbackand nothingchanges.Thisistruefororganizationalsurveysandleadership developmentfeedback,alike.Whenyoureceivefeedback,askfollowup questionstoensureyoucompletelyunderstanditandthentakeaction. Thereareinherentchallengesinmakingconsistent,candid,andconstructive feedbackafundamentalpartofyourwork.However,thebenefitscanbedramatic foryouandyourorganization.