Leadership is not a destination but a journey of continuous improvement. At the heart of this evolution lies one indispensable tool: feedback.
Feedback serves as both a mirror and a compass which enables leaders to see their current position while guiding them towards better paths.
Whether you're leading a small team or managing an entire organization, understanding how to effectively use feedback can pave the way for significant personal and professional growth.
As Ken Blanchard aptly said, "Feedback is the breakfast of champions." But how can you use feedback to enhance your leadership skills?
Let’s explore practical tips, strategies, and real-world examples that will help you turn feedback into actionable insights.
Effective leadership demands continuous growth and adaptation. Research consistently shows that leaders who actively seek and implement feedback progress more rapidly in their careers and achieve better team outcomes than those who don't.
According to a study by the Center for Creative Leadership, leaders who regularly solicit feedback are rated as 86% more effective by their teams compared to those who rarely seek input.
Feedback provides three crucial benefits for leadership development:
As human beings, we often decide too soon whether feedback is right or wrong. We’re incredibly skilled at what’s called “wrong spotting.” When feedback comes our way, we instinctively scrutinize it, seeking flaws—who gave it to us, why they’re giving it, where they delivered it, or even at an inopportune time like a family gathering.
When feedback arrives, we often look for reasons to reject it:
This happens because accepting accurate feedback often means confronting uncomfortable truths about ourselves and making changes that initially seem daunting.
The most effective leaders develop a feedback mindset—remaining open to both positive and constructive criticism, even when instincts say otherwise. This requires understanding your natural reactions to feedback and developing strategies to process it more objectively.
Research by leadership experts Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen identifies three common triggered reactions that people experience when receiving feedback. Understanding these can dramatically improve your ability to process and benefit from feedback effectively:
This reaction focuses on whether the feedback is accurate. Questions like, "Is this feedback correct?" or "Is it good advice?" arise. Truth triggers are particularly challenging because they involve understanding the giver's intent and overcoming personal blind spots. Accepting this feedback requires openness to the possibility that how you perceive your communication differs from how others experience it.
Example: A leader might have a blind spot regarding their communication style, receiving feedback that it's perceived as overly blunt. Accepting this feedback requires openness and self-awareness.
Overcoming truth triggers:
Feedback often occurs within the context of workplace relationships. Sometimes our reactions are more about who is delivering the feedback than the actual content. For instance, receiving feedback from a new employee might raise defensiveness due to perceived inexperience.
Overcoming relationship triggers involves separating "who" from "what" and focusing solely on the feedback's substance. It's also beneficial to address any underlying relationship issues privately to prevent bias from clouding your judgment.
Overcoming relationship triggers:
These reactions impact our sense of self and can feel deeply personal. When feedback challenges our self-perception, it triggers emotions of vulnerability. Research indicates that sensitivity to feedback varies greatly among individuals.
Some people might be significantly more reactive due to their personal history or inherent traits.
Overcoming identity triggers:
To maximize the value of feedback for leadership development, consider these proven models that provide structure to the feedback process:
This three-step framework helps both give and receive feedback with clarity:
Example application: When processing feedback about your meeting facilitation, identify exactly which meeting was referenced (situation), what specific actions you took or words you used (behavior), and how it affected team participation or decision quality (impact).
This model divides self-awareness into four quadrants:
Effective feedback expands your "open area" by reducing blind spots, which is critical for leadership development. By actively seeking feedback, you can discover aspects of your leadership style that may be obvious to others but invisible to you.
Based on Carol Dweck's research, this approach frames feedback as:
Leaders who adopt a growth mindset see feedback as valuable data that contributes to their ongoing development rather than as criticism of their inherent capabilities.
Here are 4 ways you can use formal and informal feedback to improve your leadership skills:
Formal feedback methods are an effective way to gain a comprehensive understanding of your leadership abilities. Leadership assessments look at specific skills and attributes to provide you with feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. These assessments can give you an objective view of your leadership capabilities and highlight areas for improvement.
Structured assessments provide objective data about your leadership capabilities. These might include:
Many leadership development programs and resources include assessments as part of their training plans.
The most comprehensive view of your leadership emerges when you gather feedback from diverse perspectives, including:
This insight helps create a complete view of your leadership that is more accurate and relevant than feedback from only one source.
If you are not participating in a program or assessment that uses peer feedback, you can ask the people around you to give informal feedback on your leadership performance. For example, you could ask your team to assess your communication skills or send your supervisor a direct message that says, "I appreciate any feedback you can give me on my performance in today's client meeting."
Feedback is not just what people say explicitly but also what's implied in their comments, questions, and reactions. Learning to see this informal and unspoken feedback can be a useful way to identify your strengths and understand what is holding you back.
For example, a leader implements a new workflow but notices hesitation, repeated questions, and resistance from the team. Seeing this as feedback, they refine their communication and support strategies. After providing clearer guidance and open discussions, the team becomes more engaged and confident. This response signals that the leader’s adjustments are effective. By observing subtle cues, leaders can continuously adapt and improve their approach.
Environmental feedback indicators to watch for:
The most critical step is turning feedback into concrete action. This requires:
You can then work toward your goals by seeking out the resources and support you need, such as leadership development programs or meaningful mentorship opportunities. As you progress, keep looking for both formal and informal feedback to guide your improvement process.
Receiving constructive feedback highlights plenty of improvement areas, from developing specific leadership skills to modifying general leadership styles. As you incorporate feedback into your development plan, you will likely come across one or more of these common areas for improvement:
Much of effective learning demands courage to embrace discomfort, as genuine growth often occurs outside our comfort zones. The fear of embarrassment or failure can prevent us from fully engaging in transformative development. In leadership, where stakes are perpetually high, avoiding discomfort can stifle potential.
Embracing discomfort means deliberately seeking challenging feedback. Rather than surrounding yourself with affirming voices, engage with diverse perspectives that question your assumptions and drive innovation. For instance, receiving feedback from stakeholders with opposing views on a strategic direction could provide critical insights that refine and enhance your approach.
Contrary to popular belief, being a “sponge” for feedback doesn’t imply absorbing every piece of information indiscriminately. Effective leaders exercise discernment, choosing feedback to internalize and feedback to set aside. This selective process focuses on feedback that is specific, relevant, and aligned with growth objectives.
Consider the scenario where a leader is operating in a multicultural team environment. Feedback might vary widely based on cultural norms and expectations. It’s vital to evaluate this feedback for its relevance to organizational goals versus personal adaptations that don’t serve the larger mission.
Additionally, not all feedback comes from informed sources. Thus, it’s crucial to consider feedback’s origin and expertise. Feedback that’s anchored in misconception or lacks nuanced understanding of your role might still offer insights when reframed and contextualized.
Developing a filtering system allows you to:
Feedback intertwines two fundamental human needs: the desire to grow and the need to protect self-identity. Balancing these needs is crucial for leadership development. As you transition to higher leadership roles, accelerating your learning becomes fundamental. This involves being proactive about seeking diverse perspectives and being receptive not just to criticism, but also to commendations.
Feedback, in leadership contexts, extends beyond personal growth—it serves as a catalyst for organizational and team development. By modeling a candid and constructive feedback culture, leaders instill values of growth and continuous improvement within their teams. Such team environments foster not only individual advancements but also collective innovation and resilience.
Ultimately, effective leadership hinges on nuanced feedback reception. By understanding your instinctive reactions, managing triggers, embracing discomfort, and being selective with feedback absorption, you harness its full potential. Your leadership trajectory isn’t just about the skills you possess today but rather the developmental strides you're willing to take.
To transform feedback into leadership growth:
So, the next time you receive feedback, pause. Reflect on its merit, evaluate its applicability, and leverage it to fuel your leadership journey. Remember, your progress is not confined by your starting point, but rather by how fervently you endeavor to grow.