How to Give Feedback as a Leader

The art of giving quality feedback

July 31, 2023
A person receiving feedback

It's easier to procrastinate when giving feedback. But this cheats the person who would receive the feedback out of the chance to grow, and everyone on the team pays the price. In order to cultivate leaders your team needs healthy feedback.

Building a culture of healthy feedback is one of the critical roles of a leader. And it begins with how well you, as the leader, give and receive feedback. You set the tone and the pace for feedback. This post will focus on those two aspects exploring the quality and frequency of feedback.

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Giving quality feedback

Think about a time when you've said someone gave you "good feedback." What were the characteristics of that feedback? When I think about the quality of feedback, three factors stand out.

  1. Growth-focused
  2. Honest
  3. Specific

Growth focused feedback

When someone gives you feedback, you can tell whether they are trying to build you or tear you down. I would argue that it's no longer feedback if it's the latter. It's an attack. Feedback is focused on building up to help someone grow.

You really can't fake it. People can tell if you're for them.

Sadly feedback systems can be used in many organizations as a weapon for attacking someone. You have to consider this when building a culture of healthy feedback.

This isn't so much about the tone of voice or the words you use. It's about your honest attitude and intent. You really can't fake it. People can tell if you're for them. It's going to show up in your tone, but this is just the outward manifestation of your intent.

It will also show up in the balance of positive and negative feedback. Feedback isn't always negative. I see leaders struggle with consistently giving positive feedback because they focus on all the areas for improvement.

People tend to remember negative experiences over positive ones more easily. This means your team actually needs to receive positive feedback more frequently than negative. Consistently giving positive feedback reinforces that feedback is for the person's good, helping them grow.

But the feedback is first about their growth and secondarily about their output.

Honest and specific feedback

We're going to look at honesty and specificity at the same time. If feedback is vague, people won’t know how to grow from it.

A counterexample might be helpful here. I once received feedback that an anonymous team member thought I didn’t make the right decisions a year before the feedback was given. I’m not trying to be vague; that’s all the info I got. I had no idea what they were talking about or what to do with it. This kind of feedback isn’t worth anyone’s time to give or receive.

When you give feedback, be clear about the situation or behavior you're giving the feedback on. Also, be specific on what was good or bad about it. Remember, you want to focus on their growth, and it's hard to grow from an experience they don't understand.

Most leaders aren't intentionally dishonest, but they tend to fall off to one side or the other. They either overstate and exaggerate to strengthen the power or validity of the feedback, or they understate it to soften the feedback. Like Goldilocks, you want to find the one in the middle that's just right.

You want your life to have meaning and impact.

What if your everyday work and life not only felt natural and intuitive but also aligned with your priorities and positively impacted those around you?

Giving consistent feedback

Many leaders struggle with consistent quality feedback. I define consistency here as both regular and timely. If you establish a cadence of feedback, your team grows more accustomed to it.

You set the tone and the pace for feedback.

Giving frequent feedback means the feedback doesn't build up. Presenting it in small bites makes it easier to metabolize. Minor changes are easier to make.

Consider when you drive straight ahead, you're continually making corrections. However, you don't even notice them because they are so small.

What if your feedback to your team was like this?

The feedback also needs to be timely. You can't wait weeks or months to give it. Give the feedback soon enough for a team member to do something with the input. Consider if you wait to course-correct things drive even further off course and eventually need a more significant correction.

Helping your team thrive

Your team has a shared vision you want to reach together. Feedback is critical to moving ahead together.

If your team isn't sure they're going in the correct direction, they might slow down or stop. Positive feedback affirms that people are aligned to the vision and the process. This confirmation gives your team confidence and frees them to move full steam ahead.

Action Plan

When giving feedback as a leader, consider the following three action steps:

  1. Be Specific and Objective: Provide specific and objective feedback rather than general or vague statements. Clearly identify the behavior or action you are addressing and explain why it is impactful. Use concrete examples to support your points and help the recipient understand the context.
  2. Focus on Behavior and Impact: Direct your feedback towards the behavior or actions rather than personal traits or characteristics. This helps ensure that the feedback is constructive and avoids being perceived as personal criticism. Additionally, emphasize the impact of the behavior on the individual, team, or organization, highlighting both positive and negative consequences.
  3. Offer Solutions and Support: Instead of solely pointing out areas for improvement, provide actionable suggestions or solutions. Collaboratively explore potential strategies or approaches to address any concerns or gaps. Additionally, offer support and resources to help the individual grow and develop in the specified area.

Take the next step, you can deliver feedback effectively, promote growth and development, and foster a positive and supportive work environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Team Leadership

What is team leadership?

Team leadership is a management approach focused on leading and guiding a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. A team leader is responsible for providing direction, support, and guidance to the team members, while fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Team leadership involves setting clear goals and expectations for the team, communicating effectively, and building trust and relationships with team members. It also involves empowering team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their unique skills and perspectives to the team's success.

Some key characteristics of effective team leadership include:

  1. Communication: Team leaders communicate clearly and effectively with their team members, keeping them informed about goals, expectations, and progress.
  2. Vision and strategy: Effective team leaders have a clear vision for what they want to achieve and a strategy for how to get there, while also being flexible and adaptable when necessary.
  3. Empowerment: Good team leaders empower their team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work, while also providing support and guidance as needed.
  4. Trust-building: Team leaders build trust and strong relationships with their team members, creating a positive and productive work environment.
  5. Results-oriented: Finally, effective team leaders are results-oriented, focusing on achieving goals and driving performance while also valuing the well-being and development of their team members.

Overall, team leadership is a collaborative and empowering approach to management that values communication, trust-building, and results-driven performance.

Learn more about leadership.

What are the different styles of team leadership?

There are several different styles of team leadership, including:

  1. Democratic leadership: In this style, the leader encourages open communication and participation from all team members in decision-making processes.
  2. Autocratic leadership: This style involves the leader making decisions and taking control over the team's direction, often with little input from team members.
  3. Transformational leadership: This style focuses on inspiring and motivating team members to achieve their full potential, often by setting a clear vision and communicating goals effectively.
  4. Servant leadership: A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their team members, focusing on serving and empowering them to achieve their goals.
  5. Laissez-faire leadership: In this style, the leader provides minimal guidance or direction, allowing team members to take ownership of their work and make decisions independently.
  6. Transactional leadership: This style involves setting clear goals and expectations for team members and providing rewards or discipline based on performance.
  7. Situational leadership: This approach involves adapting one's leadership style to fit the specific situation or needs of the team at any given time.

Overall, each style of team leadership has its own strengths and weaknesses, and effective leaders may use a combination of different styles depending on the situation and the needs of their team.

Learn more about leadership.

What are the different skills required for team leadership?

There are several key skills required for effective team leadership, including:

  1. Clear: Team leaders must be to communicate effectively with their team members, setting clear expectations and goals, providing feedback, and keeping everyone informed about progress and changes.
  2. Active listening: Leaders need to be able to listen actively to their team members, hear their concerns, ideas, and suggestions, and work collaboratively to find solutions.
  3. Empathy: Good team leaders value empathy, recognizing and understanding the perspectives of their team members, and working to build trust and strong relationships
  4. Decision-making: Leaders must be able to make informed decisions based on available information and input from team members, while also being decisive when necessary.
  5. Problem-solving: Effective team leaders must be able to identify and solve problems that arise within the team, working collaboratively to find creative and effective solutions.
  6. Motivation and empowerment: Leaders must be able to motivate and empower their team members to take ownership of their work, overcome challenges, and achieve their full potential.
  7. Delegation and management: Team leaders must be able to delegate tasks effectively, manage resources and timelines, and oversee the work of the team to ensure quality and efficiency.

Overall, effective team leadership requires a combination of interpersonal, decision-making, and management skills, as well as the ability to inspire and empower team members to work collaboratively towards shared goals.

Learn more about leadership.

What is servant leadership?

Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.

A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.

Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:

  1. Empathy: Servant leaders value empathy, placing themselves in the shoes of their followers to better understand their needs and motivations.
  2. Listening: They are active listeners, taking the time to listen to their followers' concerns, feedback, and ideas.
  3. Commitment to development: Servant leaders prioritize the growth and development of their followers, providing opportunities for learning and development.
  4. Humility: They recognize their own limitations and seek input from others to make informed decisions.
  5. Stewardship: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, working to create a positive impact for all stakeholders.

Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.

Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.

Servant Leadership

What is servant leadership?

Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.

A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.

Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:

  1. Empathy: Servant leaders value empathy, placing themselves in the shoes of their followers to better understand their needs and motivations.
  2. Listening: They are active listeners, taking the time to listen to their followers' concerns, feedback, and ideas.
  3. Commitment to development: Servant leaders prioritize the growth and development of their followers, providing opportunities for learning and development.
  4. Humility: They recognize their own limitations and seek input from others to make informed decisions.
  5. Stewardship: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, working to create a positive impact for all stakeholders.

Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.

Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.

How can servant leadership be beneficial in the workplace?

Servant leadership can be beneficial in the workplace in a number of ways, including:

  1. Improved employee engagement and job satisfaction: When employees feel supported, valued, and empowered by their leaders, they tend to be more engaged and satisfied with their work.
  2. Increased collaboration and teamwork: Servant leaders prioritize communication, collaboration, and trust-building, which can lead to stronger relationships and more effective teamwork.
  3. Higher levels of productivity and innovation: When leaders empower their team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their ideas, it can lead to higher levels of productivity and innovation.
  4. Reduced turnover and absenteeism: Employees who feel supported and valued are less likely to leave their jobs or call in sick, leading to reduced turnover and absenteeism rates.
  5. Improved organizational culture: Servant leadership can create a positive organizational culture that values growth, development, and well-being for all stakeholders, which can lead to improved morale and outcomes.

Overall, servant leadership can lead to a more positive, productive, and fulfilling workplace environment, benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.

Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.

How does servant leadership differ from other leadership styles?

Servant leadership differs from many other leadership styles in several key ways:

  1. Focus on serving others: Servant leaders prioritize the needs and well-being of their followers over their own interests, while many other leadership styles focus more on achieving organizational goals.
  2. Empathy and listening skills: Servant leaders value empathy and active listening skills to better understand the needs and perspectives of their followers, while some other leadership styles may be more focused on asserting authority or making decisions without input from others.
  3. Collaboration and teamwork: Servant leaders prioritize collaboration and teamwork, seeking to empower and develop their followers to achieve their full potential, while other leadership styles may be more focused on competition or individual achievement.
  4. Humility and accountability: Servant leaders view themselves as stewards of their organization, prioritizing the well-being of all stakeholders and taking responsibility for their decisions, while some other leadership styles may be more focused on personal ambition or avoiding blame.

Overall, servant leadership is characterized by a focus on serving others, prioritizing empathy and collaboration, and taking a humble and accountable approach to leadership. While other leadership styles may be effective in different contexts, servant leadership can be a powerful tool for creating positive change and empowering others to reach their full potential.

Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.

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