What do you do if your executives are resistant to creating a culture of feedback?

?? A strategic approach to tackling resistance to a culture of feedback: ?? Identify the Root Cause: Determine if resistance to feedback culture originates from the culture itself or an underlying need, whether contextual or general. ?? Facilitate Self-awareness: Guide executives to explore their feedback-related thoughts and feelings, aiding them in recognizing and addressing influences on their resistance. ?? Illustrate Impact: Help reflect how the absence of a feedback culture can hinder progress in specific scenarios, emphasizing its crucial role in fostering inclusive organizational growth. #FeedbackCulture #LeadershipDevelopment

I would work with my client to find out the reasons behind his resistance to receiving and giving feedback. One hypothesis that I would check in any case would be what the feedback culture was in his family of origin. It can be surmised that it was at a Krex Amen, stage of his life and learning history. There were good reasons for his now dysfunctional behaviour.

Steps : 1. Shift the Focus: Make feedback about development, not criticism. Use phrases like "Let's brainstorm solutions" to create a collaborative problem-solving atmosphere. 2. Target Actions, Not Traits:Focus on specific behaviors and their impact, not personalities. Use "I" statements to highlight observations and avoid defensiveness. 3. Listen Deeply, Validate: Give your employee your undivided attention and let them express their views. Acknowledge their concerns and feelings before offering solutions. 4. Ask Open-Ended Questions:Encourage self-reflection with questions like "What are your roadblocks?" or "How can we refine this process?" This fosters ownership and facilitates open communication of concerns.

Resistance to feedback often stems from vulnerability; executives might fear exposure of weaknesses or feel their authority is being challenged. Active listening is crucial, but so is the follow-up action that demonstrates you've heard their concerns and are committed to addressing them in a way that aligns with their values and the organization's goals. By doing so, you alleviate their fears and pave the way for a more open and growth-oriented culture.

This step is the most important one in my view.There needs to personal stories and examples to share without attachment by the coach, on how a feedback culture could help the Coachee tremendously in their own journey.Also the coach needs to question the assumption and biases of the Coachee and help them transcend those biases by examples and personal experiences may be

The main reason an executive may resist changing the company culture to a feedback culture could be due to a lack of understanding of its benefits, fear of the unknown, or comfort with the status quo. To win them over as a coach, consider listening to the executive's concerns and provide reassurance by addressing potential risks and outlining a clear plan for managing them. You can also leverage Influencers: Identify and engage other influential leaders within the organization who can champion the change and influence the executive's perspective.

Executives often equate feedback with criticism due to past experiences. By reframing feedback as a cornerstone of organizational agility and a means to empower employees, leaders can view it as constructive. Education should emphasize feedback's role in fostering innovation and adaptability, which are critical in today's fast-paced business environment. Real-world examples where feedback loops have driven success can be particularly persuasive in demonstrating its strategic value.

Model behavior to encourage open feedback Walk the Talk : 1. Be Openly Receptive: Publicly ask for feedback in meetings and acknowledge it. Share past feedback you've implemented, showing its value and setting a growth mindset for the team. 2. Implement Multi Directional Feedback : Regularly seek feedback Upward, peer to peer and downward. This highlights your commitment to learning and normalizes the back-and-forth of constructive criticism. 3. Become a Feedback Champion: Make giving and receiving feedback a regular part of your interactions. When praising employees, focus on specific actions to reinforce desired behaviors, positioning feedback as a two-way street for improvement.

In der Beratung habe ich damals "radical candor" mit meinen Projektteams gelebt. Ich habe immer wieder das Feedback erhalten, dass meine Projektteammitglieder dies auch selber weitergelebt haben. Sprich Vorbildfunktion ist immer der erste Schritt. Darüber hinaus folge ich der Empfehlung aus dem Netflix Buch: wenn keine Feedbackkultur existiert, muss zu Beginn das Thema Feedback fix auf der Agenda stehen, bis sich die Teammitglieder und auch die Führungskr?fte daran gew?hnt und es verinnerlicht haben.

Feedback needs to happen both ways. A leader can't give Feedback without asking to receive one. In fact, a leader paves the way of constructive Feedback when they ask questions: What do you expect from me more? Where do you think you need my support and guidance more? What would you like me to do less? What is missing in our professional relationship....This is building Trust 101!

Modeling receptivity to feedback and demonstrating how that benefits you and the entire team can help your team members become more comfortable in doing the same. An understanding that feedback is not about making others 'wrong' but adopting a growth mindset will ease concerns. Repeated positive exposure to feedback productively sought, received, and applied will encourage them to do the same.

Netflix Co-founder Reed Hastings shared that one of the biggest mistakes he made at Netflix was when he pushed out an initiative that people didn’t fully agree on. But no one felt comfortable telling him it was a bad idea. It bombed. That’s when he realised that they didn’t have a culture of feedback. He then became committed to modelling the behaviour of radical candor and ensuring it became a core value. This helped Netflix nurture a culture of innovation and transform its fortunes to being the media giant it is today.

Establishing a culture that prioritizes feedback is crucial for an organization's progression. When leaders are hesitant to embrace this concept, it can impede communication and teamwork within the company. To combat this, it is vital to build trust among executives by highlighting the significance of feedback for ongoing enhancement. Encouraging honest and open dialogue, showcasing the benefits of feedback through real-life examples, and offering guidance on effective feedback methods can aid executives in overcoming their reluctance and adopting a culture that values input and advancement.

Trust is a baseline for any well functioning relationship. Without trust, there can be no safety for any form of feedback. To build trust will take time but it all starts with the culture the leader builds in any organisation or relationship. Trust is built upon transparency, care, empathy, empowerment and other values that will make an environment one that is open and communicative. Focus on building trust in any organisation and see a shift in the ways the team works and how the approach feedback as part of everyday culture.

When Trust is in the space of Feedback, the latter becomes enjoyable. Yet Trust is such an ample practice and it needs to be designed particularly in the feedback space just like any other alliance. How will the communication go? What can be said and what can't? How do we receive not so positive Feedback? what are the boundaries? and much more needs to be agreed upon in advance.

You have the best intentions in giving feedback, but don't assume that people know it. So foster trust by stating your intentions upfront. For example, "I'm vested in your career success, here's something I observed that may be useful for you to know." We all value people who take the effort to help us to grow. By framing your feedback as a contribution, you will evoke feelings of positivity and receptivity.

Introducing a gradual feedback culture respects the human element in organizational change. It's crucial to recognize that executives, like any individuals, may have varying degrees of comfort with transparency and critique. Executives can build trust in the process by starting with less formal peer-to-peer feedback and regular check-ins. This trust is foundational for later adopting more structured feedback mechanisms without triggering defensive responses. Moreover, this approach aligns with the psychological concept of incremental change, which is often more sustainable and less intimidating than abrupt shifts.

Start with bite-sized positive observations, building trust. Then, slowly introduce areas for development, creating a safe space for growth and ultimately, a culture of continuous learning.

What is supported gets sustained. We at Influence Solutions have seen a boost in performance and morale when we helped organisations transform their annual performance review into monthly or quarterly performance check-ins, with just-in-time feedback. When you help people understand the value of feedback as a vehicle for trust building and personal growth, and they get to co-create a social contract to ask and give feedback regularly, they get to benefit from feedback as a way of life.

The resistance to creating a culture of feedback can stem from various factors, with trust being a significant contributor. However, another crucial aspect is the lack of skills and training among feedback givers. When the person providing feedback lacks the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver and receive feedback effectively, it can create barriers to open communication and hinder the feedback process. To address this challenge, organizations should focus on training and coaching feedback givers to enhance their feedback delivery skills. Additionally, feedback givers should learn how to engage in meaningful feedback conversations that encourage dialogue, active listening, and empathy.

When we say feedback we say Trust but we also say Accountability. Without the latter, Feedback isn't taken to the next level and isn't implemented in future work. The scenario can go as follows. This is what I think went great. This is an area for improvement. Now, how will I hold you accountable on the same?