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There is so much writing about feedback and it seems to be widely used. Just to pick one example: A 10-Year Study Reveals What Great Executives Know and Do by Ron Carucci, where it says: "Exceptional executives actively solicit feedback about how others experience them."
But despite of all writing and talking about the importance of feedback, I don’t see much of it. Especially not the feeback feedback which helps people improve. What is your experience?
I think many of us are too afraid of giving feedback and thus get little practisepractice. This counts for both formal and informal leadership. We don't want to heart hurt or interfere. When the feedback sometimes comes out it is to blunt and does nothing else then moving people into defence defense mode.
Honest feedback, as Jan Carlzon got, should be treated as a valuable gift you get from someone who likes you. Easy to say, but it can be hard to even give and receive positive feedback. In many cases, feedback is perceived as criticism which makes people pull back or go into defense mode.
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Marcus Buckingham has a lot to say about workable feedback. His main advice is that what can be asked for, and what should be feedbacked, is my feedback should not be advice for what to do, but all be about a reaction. “When you did or said <something> It made me understood, feel or think <something>.” If it possible to expand and also explain the input can be even more useful.
It might sound trivial to ask for feedback, but you cannot merely order a person to give this gift to you. Instead, you have to earn it by opening up show you need the feedback and take care of it. It is especially hard for managers to get the feedback they need since subordinates often have the genius to filter out some criticism.
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