“ Honesty is not about saying what you mean,
but about meaning what you say. “Hypolite de Livry
Participative or collaborative management, inclusive or visionary leadership – leaders navigate through a plethora of choices. Determining the right balance among these various components is the very essence of a leader’s reflective work, just as motivating, enhancing a sense of belonging, and empowering their teams. The leader must also simultaneously prevent their talents from leaving for the competition and attract the best profiles, all during the current era of the « Great Resignation« !
So how do you strengthen a culture that values talented individuals while minimising the internal processes that hamper innovation and efficiency? The solution Netflix found to achieve the best performance involves increasing talent density initially, followed by reinforcing the culture of feedback. This is the leadership model that Reed Hastings successfully implemented to transform his company into the skilled multinational production and distribution company we know today.
Feedback as a key tool for personal transformation
For a leader, identifying their strengths, blind spots, or weaknesses is facilitated by regularly seeking « constructive » feedback from peers and colleagues. Presented in a positive manner, this feedback allows them to reflect and adapt their transformative action plan.
Always remember that enhancing the ability to receive feedback and turning it into actionable steps is a crucial skill, relying on the continuous presence of feedback within the organization and the leader’s exemplary role in this regard.
Continuous feedback helps reduce misunderstandings, clarify implicit aspects, and foster an atmosphere of shared responsibility. It works particularly well in multi-matrix environments where maintaining ownership of projects and their success is not always straightforward! I encourage you to consistently propose a feedback checkpoint during your face-to-face meetings and in your discussions. As a manager or leader, remember that your behavior during feedback is crucial for it to be well-received. For instance, you can show your employees that they have nothing to fear and much to gain by offering reassurance or gratitude. Formally acknowledge their feedback using phrases like: « Thank you for your valuable feedback, I take it into consideration, » or « Thank you for sharing your perspective, I will reflect on it, » or even « Thank you, but I disagree with your point, and I stand by my stance. »
For this purpose, Netflix has established feedback formulation through the 4A guidelines, which you can draw inspiration from.
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Giving Feedback
- Assist first: framing with a positive intention
- Actionable: feedback focused on what can be changed
Receiving Feedback
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Appreciate: show that the input is valued
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Accept or Reject: sincerely express gratitude and choose to react or not in line with the feedback.
The virtuous cycle of feedback
Encouraging a form of honest communication within your teams can clarify many situations and eliminate the resentment and inefficiency that can arise from them. However, systematic feedback is not always well received, especially in certain types of organizations or with certain leaders!
Implementing regular feedback using the 360° or 180° approach (facilitated by an expert or coach) allows everyone to be accountable for their behavior and actions, thereby reinforcing a culture of feedback within their organization.
Ultimately, isn’t discovering a balance between behaviors that motivate your teams to listen and excel one of the essential keys to inspirational leadership? Constructive feedback is a complex collective learning process that demands strong leadership or CEO exemplification (like Reed Hastings, who even goes as far as publishing a book with very concrete examples). It’s also an excellent way to guide communities toward empowerment.
We have fostered this culture within Be&Lead for the greater good of each individual and the collective interest, and I’m proud of it!
#reflection #Leadership #coaching #supervision #management #feedback #context