There is no better place to look at for role models than in sports, especially ‘winning teams’. High levels of differentiation exist amongst players, there is certainly no equity in salaries and the coach perhaps earns a fraction of what the stars are paid.

Despite all this, there is no ambiguity about feedback from a coach to a player. Feedback is not couched in soothing words merely because a player is a star. A good coach, to use the words of Coach Krzyzewski, from his book, ‘Leading with the Heart’ tells his team, “At any time, I can and will tell you where you stand and how you’re doing. In addition, every member of the team knows right up front not only that I will tell them the truth-but I will do so as soon as possible.”

Great leaders know the importance of feedback and invest sufficient time in providing feedback. Apart from many initiatives on leadership development initiated by Jack Welch at GE, he also used to spend a month every year on the rigorous management appraisal and succession planning reviews called “Session C.”  Developing subordinates’ was a very serious responsibility for senior managers in GE and Session C was ”the pinnacle of a painstaking system of appraising executives and helping them improve their skills and plan their careers.”

Kevin Sharer, CEO Amgen says, “You’ve got to get ongoing constructive feedback to push you out of your comfort zone. This is never more important than when you are the CEO. My direct reports go off every year and write performance reviews. I also write each executive a two-page letter over Christmas that summarises and what I want them to focus on every year.”*

Continued after break...

You are invited to use our web based 360-degree feedback tool to invite about 6-8 of your colleagues. We will give you an online report based on the feedback you receive, with our compliments.

You will be able to gather feedback on 6 basic competencies.

As, Hank Paulson, CEO of Goldman Sachs shares this about Criticism: “One of the things we have done for years is 360-degree reviews. It’s amazing when you go to a leader who reviewed you, and thirty of them trust you. But all thirty say to you don’t listen well.” It has an impact.**

Abraham Maslow once said, “When your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”

One approach or style of giving feedback will not suit all kind of employees. Identify and differentiate the various groups of employees who typically fall in categories of the slacker, someone who is going through a lean phase and a consistent star performer.