Creating a Feedback-Rich Culture

In the book “Leaders with a Capital L,” I write about the importance of feedback in fostering a thriving work environment. In it, argue that a culture of open, honest, and constructive feedback is crucial for both individual and organizational growth.

A personal anecdote involved my early days as a young engineer leading a team of experienced die-casting operators. Initially blinded by my technical training, I made the mistake of overlooking the valuable knowledge and experience of the team. I treated them as if they were inferior, failing to recognize their expertise in practical application. This created a rift and made the changes I tried to implement much harder.

Later, after I finally realized my hubris, I resolved to cultivate a leadership style grounded in humility, respect, and a commitment to fostering a feedback-rich environment.

Creating a psychologically safe space for feedback:

A psychologically safe space is where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns without fear of reprisal. One factor in creating this is the leader actively soliciting feedback, both positive and negative, and demonstrating a willingness to listen openly and non-judgmentally.

Later in my career I led a team charged with designing a new product so that it was manufacturable. None of our new team had this specific experience and I was unsure how to begin. So in our first meeting I walked in and admitted as much. I outlined what I thought was the goal and then asked the team, “how do you think we should approach this?” What developed was a high-performing team that was engaged, collaborative and united in purpose. 18 months later the product of our work was a design that exceeded all the goals for yield, cost, and cycle time that we were given.

This story highlights the profound impact that open, receptive and candid communication can have on team effectiveness. And after a 35-year career, it was the single most effective and rewarding team I have been on. Here are a couple of things we did well…

Give feedback conversationally:

Instead of resorting to formulaic approaches, we engaged in what I call “conversational feedback”. This involves:

1. Stating the observable facts of the situation – the story.
2. Asking for the individual’s perspective on the accuracy and impact of the story.
3. Listening openly and curiously
4. Avoiding judgment while collaborating on a plan for improvement

One example is when an employee arrives late to work. A direct reprimand can be handled better with conversational feedback that could go like this: “Bill, I noticed you were 5 minutes late to the line. Is everything okay?” This approach demonstrates respect for the individual and their circumstances, and it opens the door for a more productive conversation. It also allows Bill to take personal responsibility.

Receive Feedback Curiously:

We learned to drop defensiveness. So many good ideas came up through conversation that when someone disagreed or even challenged our idea, we developed an ability to listen instead of dismiss. We learned to ask questions and solve problems together. Our goal was for team success, not individual success.

Culture of Learning

This project presented a new challenge, and we knew that nobody had all the answers. So we resolved to learn together. When failure occurred the question was, “what did we learn and how can we apply it?” The importance of creating a culture of learning catalyzes innovation and creates more robust solutions. It unleashed great minds to challenge boundaries and produce breakthroughs. And its impact on culture replaces the shame of failure with productive learning.

In conclusion

Cultivating a safe, feedback-rich culture unleashes potential and performance. By asking for input, receiving it curiously, giving it conversationally, and demonstrating a commitment to feedback, leaders can create an environment where individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work.