What do you do if your leadership style is not conducive to receiving and processing feedback?

In leadership, admitting weaknesses isn't weakness; it's essential for growth. Embrace ongoing evolution by letting go of ego. Adjust your style to handle feedback better or find a mentor that is strong in this area. Consider leadership development programs for you and your team, focusing on self-awareness, empathy, EQ, workplace criticism, and active listening. Participate, practice together, and all will benefit.

Self-reflection is a crucial component of personal and professional growth. Reflecting on past instances where feedback was given allows individuals to gain insight into their strengths and areas for improvement. It's essential to consider not only how one received the feedback but also how they responded to it. Did you approach the feedback with an open mind, or did you become defensive? Did you actively listen to the feedback and consider its validity, or did you dismiss it without much thought? Reflecting on these questions can help identify patterns in how you respond to feedback and highlight areas where you might need to improve.

Then you're not leader. All leaders are buoyed by other people who respect a leader for being receptive to ideas, suggestions, even complaints of other people. A leader is one who eats complaints for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Openness to feedback is crucial for growth. Shift your mindset to view feedback as an opportunity for development rather than criticism. Actively solicit feedback from colleagues, subordinates, and even external sources. Practice active listening and avoid getting defensive. Ask clarifying questions to fully understand the feedback, and develop an action plan to address the areas identified for improvement.

Awareness is the first step to change. Internalizing it and being willing to change is the second crucial step towards change and growth. When you get continuous feedback and understand the challenge deeply, you open yourself up for improvement.

Examples: Scheduling weekly or bi-weekly team meetings where everyone has the opportunity to share updates, concerns, and ideas. Creating an open-door policy where team members feel comfortable approaching you at any time to discuss issues or brainstorm solutions. Implementing a suggestion box or anonymous feedback system to encourage contributions from those who may be hesitant to speak up in meetings. Organizing brainstorming sessions or focus groups with cross-functional teams to gather diverse perspectives on specific projects or challenges. Actively seeking out opinions from introverted or quieter team members during discussions to ensure their voices are heard.

As a leader, I always work by the 3-A principle: accept, adapt, advance. You lose one of these key points, you will fall behind.

Learn from the experts the art and science of receiving and giving feedback. Acknowledge that you can only change your side of the bargain. Therefore, develop skills to help you become a better feedback receiver and giver. When you develop these skills and practice them deliberately and regularly, your ability to receive feedback will improve significantly.

Making reflection a regular part of your leadership practice is crucial for continuous improvement. Set aside dedicated time to review the feedback you've received, how you reacted to it, and the actions you've taken as a result. Reflect on what has been effective and what hasn't, and be willing to adjust your strategies accordingly. This ongoing process of reflection not only strengthens your ability to handle feedback but also fosters your overall growth as a leader.

consider the power of vulnerability in leadership. By acknowledging your challenges with receiving feedback openly and honestly, you create a culture where others feel safe to do the same. Embrace the discomfort of growth and model the behavior you want to see in your team. Remember, leadership is not about having all the answers but about continuous learning and improvement.

Feedback is often seen as "I'm bad" or "I'm not capable". We stretch feedback to mean something so negative that we don't like to receive it. It's also important to note that not all feedback is relevant or should be taken into account. Feedback gives us an opportunity to really assess what might be working and what isn't working; it's not about us personally being bad. I think when we can work on separating the two so we don't take it as personally, that's where real growth really starts to happen.