By Chally Kacelnik
Creating a feedback practice, informally and formally, is essential for the continuous development and effectiveness of leaders. At LKS Quaero, we emphasise the importance of regular, constructive feedback in fostering a culture of growth and improvement. Making regular feedback part of doing business, both giving and receiving, supports more aware and effective work. It also supports people’s satisfaction and confidence at work: if you’re sure about the impact of your work and behaviour, you don’t have an element of uncertainty tripping you up.
Regular feedback is crucial for leaders, and those to whom they give feedback, to understand their strengths and areas of development. Constructive feedback helps people to develop self-awareness, refine their skills, and adapt their behaviour to meet organisational needs. By receiving ongoing feedback, leaders can make adjustments that lead to significant improvements over time. Likewise, they can also see where they’re going really well and have the assurance to keep on doing what they’re doing. Positive feedback drives continued positive performance, and not acknowledging good work can have a eroding effect.
A feedback focus at work is built on a foundation of trust. Leaders must feel confident that the feedback they receive is intended to help them grow and succeed (and, let’s be frank, that’s not always people’s intention when giving feedback). This trust is established through open and honest communication, where feedback is given in a supportive and non-judgmental manner. Encouraging leaders to seek and value feedback fosters a culture where continuous improvement is the norm, and feedback isn’t a word with automatically negative connotations.
In order for feedback to be effective, it must be specific and actionable. Vague or general comments do little to help people understand what they need to change. Feedback should be based on observable behaviours and provide clear guidance on how to improve. This approach ensures that people know exactly what steps to take to enhance their performance, or what’s currently valued in their approach.
Peer and report feedback is valuable, not only feedback from one’s leaders. Colleagues often have unique insights into someone’s performance, offering perspectives that others may not see. Encouraging peer and report feedback helps leaders to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their impact and fosters a culture of mutual support and accountability.
Feedback should be integrated into individual development plans. Leaders would do well to reflect on and integrate the feedback they receive in order to set specific goals and create action plans for achieving them. Regularly reviewing progress against these goals ensures that feedback (where useful) is translated into tangible improvements. This systematic approach to development helps leaders to continuously grow and adapt to changing organisational needs.
At LKS Quaero, we help organisations to create a culture where feedback is a norm by providing tools and training for effective feedback delivery. Our programs emphasise the importance of specific, actionable feedback and the role of trust in fostering a culture of continuous improvement. By embedding feedback into daily routines and development plans, organisations can enhance the performance of their people and drive better organisational outcomes.
At LKS Quaero, we help people with feedback skills and application. For more information, visit us at lksquaero.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
