Leadership – Page 6 – New Horizon Partners

What Is Organizational Culture?

We have all most likely heard of organizational culture. Often called company culture or corporate culture, depending on the type of organization to which we refer, culture can be considered as the environment within the organization. Organizational or corporate culture is the pervasive values, beliefs and attitudes that characterize a company and guide its practices, especially those around how we treat people, whether they are people within the organization or those with whom the organization interacts.

Businessdictionary.com offers an extensive definition of organizational culture, as follows:
“The values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization. Organizational culture includes an organization’s expectations, experiences, philosophy, and values that hold it together, and is expressed in its self-image, inner workings, interactions with the outside world, and future expectations. It is based on shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and written and unwritten rules that have been developed over time and are considered valid. Also called corporate culture, it’s shown in
(1) the ways the organization conducts its business, treats its employees, customers, and the wider community,
(2) the extent to which freedom is allowed in decision making, developing new ideas, and personal expression,
(3) how power and information flow through its hierarchy, and
(4) how committed employees are towards collective objectives.”

Every organization has a culture, whether it be intentionally determined, or happenstance based on the practices and behaviors of leadership and the people within the organization. For large, multi-location organizations, the culture of each location can be a blend of an overall corporate culture and the culture of the individual office or site.

An organization’s culture is often described by the same sort of words used to describe the personality or character of people. In fact, culture generally correlates with the character and personality of the leadership. We might hear culture described as some combination of words such as the following: fast-paced, results-oriented, uncaring, quality-focused, highly political, customer-focused, committed to truth, innovative, shifty, committed to the bottom line, seeking the best for people, etc.

Culture is an important determinant of business success. Culture determines the organizational environment and, therefore, affects the organization’s productivity and performance, and provides guidelines on customer care and service, product quality and safety, attendance and punctuality, and concern for the environment.

How intentional are you regarding your organization’s culture? Is it contributing to success or inhibiting your organization’s success?

The Power Of Humility

Humility is perhaps the most important character trait for effective leadership. Humility opens the door to a relationship of trust and respect, the foundation of influence. The lack of humility shuts the door to a solid relationship of leadership.

To understand humility and its power, we must first define it. Sometimes the easiest way to describe humility is to first describe what it is not.

Humility is not self-deprecation. It is not having a poor opinion of oneself or of one’s abilities.
Humility is not weakness. It is not a recognition of something lacking in us.
Humility is not being meek and mild. It is possible to have a strong voice yet be humble.
Humility is not lack of confidence. It is not timidity or being unsure of oneself.

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C. S. Lewis

Humility is not about having a low opinion of yourself, it is about how we think of ourselves in relation to those around us. In fact, part of the Oxford dictionary’s definition of humility describes it as having a modest opinion of one’s own importance. To be humble means to have control over our pride and arrogance. Two of the most descriptive definitions of humility are 1) a high sense of emotional autonomy, and 2) a freedom from the control of the “competitive reflex.” Emotional autonomy means that we do not rely on the approval of others for our self-worth or emotional well-being.

The “competitive reflex” is that part of us that wants to “one up” the other person. When someone tells a joke, we want to tell a better one. When someone tells a story, we want to give a more exciting one. When someone asks a question, we are compelled to give an answer. When someone makes a misstatement or grammatical error, we are quick to point it out. The “competitive reflex” is always keeping score.

The word humility has its roots in the Latin word “humus” or earth. We can think of the humble person as the one that is “grounded.” Humility often has a high correlation with self-awareness and with confidence. The humble person knows him- or herself and is at peace with who they are, therefore, there is no need to “keep score.” Instead, the humble person places high value on the other person.

“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” -Thomas Merton

Humility draws others into relationship whereas pride or arrogance sets up a barrier to relationship. Through humility, we allow our real person to show and be known. The real person is easier to trust. When we demonstrate true humility, we value the other person, placing high importance on knowing, understanding, and appreciating them as a person. When people are valued, that warm feeling draws them into relationship, making it easy to trust and respect the humble person. On the other hand, when faced with a person that is arrogant, full of pride, or narcissistic we most likely feel disrespected or belittled. An arrogant person is hiding the real person. This cold feeling is repelling, making it difficult to build a positive relationship. (See the article, “The Problem of Arrogance” for more.)

As we better understand what humility is and why it is important, the concept of the “competitive reflex” plays a major role in our development and demonstration of humility. How do we tame that reflex and keep it from rearing its head in our interactions with others? Here are some thoughts on growing in humility and demonstrating humility on a daily basis:

Grow in self-awareness.
Grow in self-acceptance.
Welcome and seek personal change and growth.
Be authentic, showing yourself as you really are.
Seek and receive graciously feedback and correction from others.
Be an eager learner, not an arrogant knower.
Be willing to say, “I don’t know.”
Grow in vulnerability, the willingness to be judged by others.
Value others.
Be quick to ask, “What do you think?”

“Humility is the true key to success. Successful people lose their way at times. They often embrace and overindulge from the fruits of success. Humility halts this arrogance and self-indulging trap. Humble people share the credit and wealth, remaining focused and hungry to continue the journey of success.” – Rick Pitino

Where do you stand on the continuum from arrogance to humility? How much do you value your own importance? What are you doing to grow in humility?

Feedback for the Boss

A leader has the responsibility to provide frequent feedback to each of their team members. Feedback identifies specific behavior or action and asks for more of, less of, or a continuation of the same behavior or action. When we, as a leader, observe an action or behavior by a team member, a discussion about the behavior and its impact guides future behavior. Feedback is an effective way to guide and shape behavior to align with the organization’s vision and goals.

But what should we do when we observe the behavior of our boss and feel it could be beneficial to offer feedback to him or her? Is it appropriate to provide feedback to a boss? When and how should upward feedback be provided?

There are instances when it is ill-advised to provide upward feedback. Although an effective leader always welcomes appropriate feedback, no matter what the source, there are some bosses that lack the character to accept feedback, especially from someone lower in the organizational hierarchy. These sorts of people either will not hear upward feedback or will meet it with some form of retribution. There are also organizations in which the corporate culture discourages lower-level team members from providing input up the chain. In either of these cases, offering upward feedback could be career threatening.

In most organizations and with most bosses, upward feedback could be acceptable, or even welcomed, if it is done well. Providing feedback to the boss has a different form than the three steps of feedback for peers or team members, but it does follow some of the ten tips for any feedback. Below are a few guidelines specifically for providing effective upward feedback:

Build upon relationship. Hopefully a comfortable relationship of open communication has already been established. If the boss is a good leader, he or she will have established this relationship and the two of you know each other fairly well and have frequent conversations. When this relationship is established, there is not a gulf between the two of you and the feedback conversation does not feel completely uncomfortable or out of character.
Ask for permission. When offering feedback upward, it is best received when not adversarial or perceived as an attack. You may have received or perceived an open invitation to conversation. Even in such case, it may be best to ask for permission with a question such as, “Could I mention something about ….?” Often it is beneficial to schedule the meeting at a future time with a comment such as, “Could we meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss how we will be working together on this project?”
Operate from a position of positive support. In an upward feedback discussion, make it clear that you are for and not against the boss. The tone of the conversation must demonstrate that you are interested in the success of the boss and that the feedback is intended for his or her benefit, not as a criticism or an effort to usurp.
Speak from your own perspective. Again, “you” messages often sound adversarial while “I” messages can be less so. Therefore, upward feedback is different from standard feedback in that we want to identify behaviors based on their impact on either you as an individual or on the team as a whole. As an example, “I feel most invested and creative in projects when I have greater autonomy. I appreciate your feedback and input, but I wonder if you would be open to setting a schedule to periodically review my progress together.”

If done poorly, upward feedback can feel combative or adversarial and damage the relationship with the boss. Done well, upward feedback can position someone as a valuable resource and trusted advisor of their boss. It holds the potential of improving your relationship and working situation.

Are you able to provide effective upward feedback? Are you able to receive it gracefully?

Lead With Clarity

One of the important skills of leadership is our ability to communicate. Whether it be written, verbal, or through our actions, it is our communication that guides team members, draws them into the pursuit of vision and goals, and unites them into a cohesive team. A key to effective communication is clarity, the ability to communicate in such a way that our thoughts and intent is clearly presented and clearly understood by recipients.

To achieve clarity in communications sometimes requires the development of our communication skills, especially focusing on the four C’s of clarity – communication that is centered, consistent, comprehensive, and compassionate:

Clarity results from Centered communication – Our communication must be centered or focused on the highest priorities and driven by certain objectives. Our goal in communication as a leader is to set direction and priorities, to move the organization towards accomplishing goals that define success of the organization, to unify the organization in achieving these goals and moving towards the vision, to refine the way that the organization functions, etc.

Among the great mistakes of communication is providing too much or unfocused communication. In providing too much communication, the important messages can become lost. Our communication can begin to sound like Charlie Brown’s parents – “Wah, wah, wah.”

If we feel the need to instruct team members on every minute detail, we might be perceived as a control freak. Control freaks demotivate team members through their belittling practices. Most people prefer the ability to think for themselves and to make choices within the scope of their job responsibilities as they work.

Of course, there is room for our humanity in communications. In fact, it is a necessary element to demonstrate our authenticity and vulnerability from time to time. But especially with larger audiences, clarity in communication comes with focus.

Clarity results from Consistent communication – There are two elements to consistency in communication. The first is the consistency of the message. Our view of vision, goals, and priorities cannot change with the wind. A leader who sets a new direction every month, week, or day simply frustrates team members. They lose confidence in such leadership and cannot be expected to expend effort on a course that will be dropped or altered tomorrow. Therefore, the message communicated must be consistent over time or an explanation for the change in course should be provided to keep the organization on board.

The second element of consistency is the practice of communication on a consistent basis. When the organization is left in the dark without direction, it will develop its own direction. As a leader, we have the responsibility to set or build consensus on direction and then to continually reinforce that message to keep the organization on course.

Clarity results from Comprehensive communication – Half of a message can be as useless as no message at all. When a leader is communicating key messages to the organization, he/she needs to communicate based on the recipients’ perspectives. Of course, we, as the leader, know the background for a decision, we are aware of the risks and unknowns, we have some ideas of the impact on the organization. But the audience is often unaware of these things. Our communication should speak from the audience’s perspective, answering the questions that are likely to arise in the minds of those that are reading, listening, or observing. Communication that lays a solid foundation for the actions of the organization is well thought out and clearly presented.

Clarity results from Compassion in our communication – When emotions enter the picture, recipients hear, read, or observe from a perspective that is heavily influenced by those emotions. In order to hear our message clearly, we must understand and address any relevant emotions as a part of our message. To do so requires that we, as leaders, know our audience and are able to perceive the impact of our communications on a personal level. Once we are able to do so, we can address the emotional impact in a compassionate yet forthright manner as a part of our message.

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Effective leadership relies on effective communication. We move the organization toward its vision and goals through our communication. Therefore, we cannot communicate in a haphazard manner. Our message is understood and accepted when it is presented with clarity. If you find that your communication efforts are sometimes ineffective and lacking in clarity, perhaps developing some of these skills or even doing some work on the underlying character traits might be helpful.

Does your team experience clarity in your communications with them? How are you building clarity?

Perfectly Imperfect

As a leader (as opposed to a boss or a manager), we often find ourselves being affirmed for our leadership qualities. These qualities, which might be our intelligence, wisdom, common sense, decision-making skills, relational skills, strategic skills, or other qualities, lead to our ability to influence. People choose to follow leaders because they recognize the character traits, skills, and other qualities that make the leader stand out and be more effective.

When we grow accustomed to this repeated affirmation, we run the danger of becoming overly focused on it. This can lead us to believe that we cannot show any failure or weakness for fear of losing the high opinion in which we are held. Even worse, some people begin to believe their own press, believing that they are indeed pretty close to perfect. No human being is perfect, and it is both a fallacy and a weakness to believe either that you are perfect or that you need to be perfect.

Understanding and embracing our imperfections is, in fact, an important character trait that does two important things that strengthen our ability to lead. First, as we recognize our imperfections, we can be motivated to grow, addressing those imperfections and seeking to grow past them. Secondly, understanding and admitting our imperfections to others makes us more relatable. Let’s take a further look at how we can lead better by recognizing and accepting our imperfections.

Benefit of Growth

One of the traits of effective leaders is self-awareness. They know their strengths and capitalize on them. They also know their weaknesses and find ways to compensate for them and to grow past them. We can compensate for our weaknesses by drawing people around us who are able to fill the gap, so to speak, taking assignments where we might be ill-suited or providing counsel or support that shores up our weaknesses.

An effective leader is also continually striving to grow. When we are aware of weaknesses or imperfections, we first prioritize our growth needs or opportunities and then develop and execute a plan for growth to fill in these weak spots in our character or skillset. But before we can grow, it is necessary to admit our need for growth.

Benefit of Authenticity

Where some might think that allowing others to see our imperfections might weaken our leadership, the opposite is true. Authenticity is one of the character traits that draws people into relationship. If we, as leaders, try to maintain an aura of perfection, we run the risk of being unapproachable. Hiding ourselves from being known by our team members builds a relational chasm that separates us. On the other hand, authentically acknowledging that we have imperfections and weaknesses demonstrates our humanity. Humans relate best to other humans, so that this authenticity, in fact, draws others into relationship.

Admitting our imperfections does not mean that we are a failure. Since all humans have some imperfections, admitting them simply means that we are admitting to be human and not superhuman or divine.

Effective leadership is built upon a relationship of trust and respect. This relationship works best when we are able to know and be known, requiring authenticity, in other words, allowing ourselves to be perfectly imperfect.

Are you aware and able to embrace your own imperfections? Are you willing for others to see those imperfections?

“Change Your Questions, Change Your Life” by Marilee Adams

There is a constant stream of questions running through the back of our mind. Something we see, something we hear, a memory that pops up – all of these things are likely to prompt some questions. Most of the time we pay no attention to these questions; they are just a part of the background processing that takes place in our brain. Sometimes, however, these questions are loud enough that we hear them as questions that we are asking ourselves. Sometimes we feel compelled to ask them of someone in a conversation. These questions can have a powerful influence on the way that we think and the way that we interact with others.

The big idea in the book, “Change Your Questions, Change Your Life” by Marilee Adams, is that these questions, the ones that are loud enough for us to pay attention to, are often what the author calls Judger questions. The problem with Judger questions is that they are either self-defeating (when we are asking them of ourselves) or they damage relationships (when we ask them about others). Instead of Judger questions, the author urges us to develop the practice of asking Learner questions.

It is human nature to be in Judger mode. Judger mode is protective, looking for risk or danger. When we ask Judger questions of ourselves, they sound much like the inner critic: “What’s wrong with me?” or “Why bother?” When we ask them about other people, either silently to ourselves or aloud, they are searching for ill motives or weaknesses in the other person: “What’s wrong with him/her?” or “What are they trying to do here?” Sometimes Judger questions are aimed at winning or gaining something: “How do I prove I’m right?” or “What should I do to get out of this situation?”

The author maintains that, while we all operate in the Judger mindset occasionally, the better choice is to develop a more robust Learner mindset and to operate from that mode. When we hear ourselves asking Judger questions, switch to Learner mindset by asking, “Am I in Judger?, Will it get me what I really want?, Where would I rather be?”

The Learner mindset asks question from an accepting, open, responsive stance. When we are asking questions of ourselves, these might be questions such as “What do I value about myself?”, “What’s possible?”, or “What are the best steps forward?” When we are observing another person, Learner might ask “What is he/she thinking, feeling, and wanting?” or “What do they need in this situation?”

The book is written in the form of a fable, in which the main character has risen through the organization by operating as the “answer man.” Now in a leadership position, his team is failing because he always falls back on giving answers, making the team disrespect him and fail to coalesce and collaborate. Through a leadership coach he learns the value of asking powerful questions, changing the way that he leads and then building a successful team.

Leadership tools are often relationship tools, and that is the case here. The book demonstrates how much more effective questions are at building relationships, rather than always providing answers or dealing with each other from a Judger mindset.

Since an organization’s culture generally reflects the character of the leader, there is a chapter on building Learner teams and keeping them from becoming Judger teams. There is also a chapter on Q-Storming, a process similar to brainstorming but relying on questions only. The book also includes a workbook section that might serve as a substitute for coaching in developing the Learner mindset.

“Poor leaders rarely ask questions of themselves or others. Good leaders, on the other hand, ask many questions. Great leaders ask the great questions.” – Michael Marquardt

On her website, Marilee Adams cites a study in which leaders judged to be the poorest in leadership ability made statements 90% of the time and asked questions only 10% of the time. Those rated as the best leaders used questions 70% of the time. In general, this book teaches valuable tools for becoming an effective leader who operates from a Learner mindset and asks powerful questions.

Leaders Build

Leaders are forward-facing and driven to grow, improve, and achieve. They recognize the importance helping those around them to grow and achieve as well as being driven to grow and develop themselves. They even desire to improve and build the organizations that they lead. These are character traits present in most effective leaders. Therefore, one of the practices of leadership is to build.

Some of the key practices of leaders are to build, inspire, communicate, challenge, enable, and encourage. Let’s look specifically at what it means for a leader to build.

Leaders build their organizations. They are not satisfied with being a caretaker and they aren’t satisfied with “good enough.” Rather, they are always on the lookout for ways in which the organization can improve its processes, its products or services, its culture, and its people—everything and anything about the organization.

Leaders scan the horizon for information that could represent threats or opportunities for the future of the organization. They seek input from a wide variety of sources—peers, industry associations, economic development sources, technical or academic advisors, etc.—and look for information that might be useful in developing a vision of the future. They ask the questions, “How might this information affect me?” and “How might this affect my organization?” Leaders also look within their organization with a critical or analytical eye, in a search for ways to improve. They then lay out a plan of action and guide the decisions and actions of the organization to move toward that future.

Leaders build the people, teams, and culture around them. A leader’s efforts to build the people around him depends also on his effectiveness of managing the arena in which the people operate. The culture provides the environment in which personal growth is either enhanced or undermined. In a similar way, teams can serve as the petri dish where elements of personal growth are practiced and perfected.

Three motivations drive the leader’s effort for developing her people. First, leaders know that the team can accomplish more than an individual or even a group of individuals. Second, building the people and their ability to work as a team today provides the capacity to get more accomplished tomorrow. And third, with a servant mentality leaders are committed to helping others grow and reach their potential.

Building into people requires first understanding them well enough to know their strengths and weaknesses as well as their personal vision. With this knowledge a plan for growth can be developed. Leaders are responsible for mentoring and coaching their people. They need to identify the new responsibilities and assignments that will provide the learning and developmental experiences for growth. Leaders need to be observant of the actions of their people and reinforce positive growth and provide guidance to correct negative behaviors.

In order to help the people around them reach their potential, leaders are cognizant and intentional about forming effective teams and cultivating a positive and energizing culture. Building a team that works well requires assembling a group that can work together and managing the relationships within the team. The team must utilize the capabilities of all members and operate as a unit, and it is the leader’s responsibility to develop this unity.

Culture is important when we talk of people growth because a positive culture can reinforce our efforts. A negative culture can sap the energy or demotivate people in their growth efforts. The culture, of course, must be one that energizes and encourages personal growth and contribution to the organization’s vision and mission. To develop this culture, the leader needs to model and encourage the behavior desired and to defend and protect against behavior that is counter to the desired culture. In the same way, our people should be encouraged to contribute to the positive growth of culture as well. This both adds to the positive climate and provides an opportunity for personal growth and contribution.

Leaders build themselves in order to continually become more effective. Leaders develop their self-awareness through reflection, self-examination, and the input of others to identify gaps and areas for improvement. They find the proper resources to build their leadership character and competency. A previous article spoke in more depth about the process of developing as a leader. This process includes learning or growing our skills or competencies. It also includes retraining our brain to build certain character traits and to build the emotional intelligence that enables us to develop and manage the relationships that we need in order to influence as a leader.

Leaders are designed to build—build their organizations, their people, and themselves. Not satisfied with status quo, leaders look for opportunities for growth and improvement.

Are you building yourself, the members of your team, and your organization to face the challenges of tomorrow?

Three Steps of Effective Feedback

Providing feedback is one of the most important tools for developing followers and achieving desired results. Feedback communicates the actions or behaviors that we desire to see more of, less of, or the same in the future. So, with effective feedback we can shape the behavior of a person and we can move towards the most desirable results for the organization.

In other articles we have provided advice and guidance on providing feedback, such as ten tips for feedback or a description of the necessary context for feedback or the character traits for making feedback effective. You can find a compilation of articles on effective feedback here.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines feedback as “the transmission of evaluative or corrective information about an action, event, or process to the original or controlling source.” A similar definition is found in BusinessDictionary.com, which says that it is the “process in which the effect or output of an action is ‘returned’ (fed-back) to modify the next action.”

In seminars intended to teach the skill, we break the feedback process into three, easy to remember steps – identify the specific action, describe the impact, and set the expectation. Feedback can only be effective when these three steps are completed. Let’s look at these three steps in more detail.

Step 1: Identify the specific action, behavior, event, or process. Operating under the assumption that we have an established relationship of communication with the intended recipient of our feedback, the specific conversation might begin with a description of the action, such as “the way that you helped the team reach a consensus” or “the three conclusions as you wrapped up your presentation.” Corrective feedback might begin with something like “the tone that you used in replying to Joe seemed very condescending” or “the facts that you presented don’t support the conclusions that you drew.”

Too often people think that they are providing feedback with a very general statement, such as “great job on the presentation” or “you add a lot to this team.” Such general statements could be considered affirmations, but they have little value for guiding future behavior, thus not really constituting feedback. The more specific and descriptive our statement, the better guidance it provides for future behavior.

Often feedback is better received when we first ask for permission, especially in the case of corrective feedback. Also, when providing corrective feedback, a bit of positive at the front end makes the recipient more open to the negative. An example might be, “Your presentation was good with a logical flow of the background information and each slide was a nice, bite-sized addition to our understanding, but may I offer some advice?”

Step 2: Describe the impact of the action. There are two elements of impact that are necessary for effective feedback. First, the personal impact or impression on the feedback provider. And second, the broader impact, whether it be on the organization, audience, peers, or whatever.

The personal impact makes the feedback just that – personal. Feedback becomes more digestible when the provider can share a feeling prompted by the action. Did their action, behavior, event, or process make you feel happy, intrigued, disappointed, angry, confused, excited, or whatever emotion was present? If this is important enough to provide feedback, there should be some emotion that arose, telling you that you should address it. Perhaps this is a good time to remind us that feedback is important, so we may need to train ourselves to notice those opportunities to feel something and to provide feedback.

The second half of describing the impact is to provide a broader context. Was the action in line with organizational goals or not, did it disrupt a meeting or discussion, is it likely to have hurt the reputation or effectiveness of the recipient, did it demonstrate behavior in line with or contrary to the organization’s desired culture, etc? Again, our goal in feedback is to be as specific as possible in order to tie the referenced action with the results, either positive or negative. Specifics make it more likely for the communication to be clearly understood and accepted, thus increasing the likelihood of long-term impact. A statement such as “you were rude, and I don’t want that to happen again” has little value. Rather a statement such as “I was disappointed to hear the rude comment you made when you said ___. That sort of comment breaks down the cohesion of our team and makes it more difficult to work together. We want this organization to be a place where each person is valued and accepted.” is more likely to gain the attention and acceptance of the recipient. Another example of describing the impact could be “The information in your presentation was so clear but I noticed that you said ‘um’ frequently. That habit can make your audience think that you are not confident in what you are presenting.”

Without demonstrating the impact, both personally and in the larger context, a comment about certain action can feel more like a slap on the back or a slap on the wrist, depending whether it is positive or negative. Without demonstrating the impact, such comments have little impact on the future. Therefore, they can’t be called feedback.

Step 3: Set the expectations for future action, behavior, events, or processes. Feedback is about identifying what we want more of, less of, or the same amount of. The third step of the feedback process is a statement or a discussion of our expectations relative to the specific action that we are addressing. The feedback process must provide clear expectations for the future.

Depending upon the situation, the third step of the feedback process might also include consequences or a plan of action. If we are talking about a serious negative action or behavior, the process may call for identifying the disciplinary action that will take place in the event of a next occurrence. If we have communicated the specific action and the specific impact that action, it is only natural that a specific consequence be communicated.

On the other hand, the feedback discussion may be related to an action or behavior that is beyond the recipient’s present capabilities. In this case, the discussion may call for either the feedback recipient to develop a developmental plan of action or it may require that the feedback provider and the recipient together define a developmental plan.

“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” – Harvey S. Firestone

Effective feedback is crucial for effective leadership. To be able to spot opportunities where feedback is appropriate and to then provide it in a way that helps in the development of the recipient, is the best way to guide the growth of the people that we lead. To nudge the actions and behaviors of team members to align with organizational vision, goals, culture, and strategy is the best way to maximize the effectiveness of the organization. Many leaders underestimate the power of feedback and overlook the constant opportunities for providing it.

Are you providing enough feedback to those around you? Are you providing feedback in a way that maximizes its benefits?

The Character for Providing Effective Feedback

Effective leadership is built upon a combination of competency and character, with character the higher priority. Without strong, positive character traits, competencies can seem hollow to those that are called to follow. This is especially true for providing feedback. Character opens the door for providing competent feedback.

It is easy to learn the basic elements of feedback and to develop the skill to deliver these elements. Feedback identifies specific action or behavior. Feedback describes the impact of the action or behavior. Feedback requests more of, less of, or continuation of the action or behavior. Anyone that is seeking to lead others can learn these three elements and then develop the habit of watching for behavior, either positive or negative, and providing feedback using the three elements.

The problem with providing feedback that is built upon competency alone is that it often falls flat for the recipient. The old saying that “talk is cheap” applies here. Feedback is only truly effective when it is provided within a relationship and delivered from a caring heart. Effective feedback is motivated by a desire to build into the future of the organization and into the future of the individual. Without the character required, the feedback recipient will quickly feel that your feedback is just an effort to click the box or achieve self-centered goals.

On the other hand, providing feedback that is backed by character becomes evident to the recipient that the leader truly cares about the person and is seeking the recipient’s growth and success. Character provides a relational foundation for discussion and understanding so that the feedback is clearly comprehended, accepted, and implemented. Feedback that is backed by character is valued by the recipient whereas feedback without the character-based relationship is often either resented or ignored.

When we speak of the character that supports effective feedback, the traits that we should seek to build into our lives might include the following:

Caring, thoughtful, courteous, kind
Candid
Commitment to doing what is right or necessary
Faith in others
Forward-thinking
Goal-oriented, growth-oriented
Humble
Observant
Optimistic, positive
Respectful
Results-oriented
Sensitive
Sincere

Before a leader can be truly effective in building team members and providing effective feedback, they must be sure that they have and are consistently developing these character traits. With such character, development of a positive relationship is a natural consequence. With a strong and positive relationship, team members seek feedback driven by a desire to perform up to the standards expected by the leader.

Have you developed the character traits that open the door to providing effective feedback?

A People Person

An effective leader must be a people person.

But what is a people person. Some expect a people person to be highly sociable, perhaps even gregarious. You know this type. At an event, they know everyone and make the rounds having small talk with as many people as possible.

Others might describe a people person as one with charisma, one to whom other people are attracted. This person draws others by their charm, presence, or force of personality. When this person walks into the room, people take notice.

This is not a negative view of either trait of sociability or charisma. Both of these traits can serve people well, especially so with leaders. These traits can open the door to leader/follower relationships, but they are not sufficient for building a solid and successful relationship.

There is a different definition of a people person that is truly necessary for the most effective leader. Because leadership is a relationship built upon mutual trust and respect, the interpersonal skills and traits are those necessary for building this relationship of trust and respect. People are generally not quick to award a leader trust and respect. It must be earned over time and under fire by demonstrating that it is truly deserved. A leader’s life, their character and practices, must be tested to prove worthiness of this relationship of trust and respect.

This “people person” leader must demonstrate character traits and leadership skills, such as the following, that draw people into this relationship by enabling them to build, over time and through a process, the trust and respect necessary.

Character Traits of a “People Person” Leader

They value people – A people person recognizes the value in every person. They can be described as affectionate or caring towards the people with whom they interact.
They are humble – A people person does not regard himself/herself as better or more important than those around them. Just the opposite, they are selfless or self-giving, placing the interests and importance of others above their own interests.
They are considerate of others – A people person is kind and courteous towards others. They take an interest in the person, not just the task at hand. They are sensitive to the feelings, beliefs, and emotions of others. They take the time to engage and understand.
They demonstrate faith in others – A people person is thoughtful towards others. They are willing to trust others until that trust is proven not to be deserved. They have an interest in the other person’s future and seek to help them along the way.

Some Important Skills of a “People Person” Leader

They are communicators – A people person is a communicator. They speak and write well and otherwise know how to convey thoughts and information. But equally, if not more importantly, they are great listeners. They know how to listen actively so as to draw out the full story, not just the facts on the surface, but the underlying background and emotions.
They are strong in emotional intelligence – A people person not only is strong at understanding and managing their own emotions, but also at understanding and dealing with the emotions of the other. They are able to pick up on the indicators, both verbal and non-verbal, and then to lean in to better understand and assist the other in dealing with their emotions.
They are authentic and vulnerable – A people person is able to be fully human, so that those around them feel comfortable and confident that they can relate to the leader on common ground. They are able to let their guard down and let those around them see both their strengths and weaknesses. While confident in their overall person, they are aware of weaknesses and mistakes and see no need to pretend that there are none.

With a strong bond of trust and respect, team members are quick to embrace a common vision and then to work hard together to achieve it. In such a culture, people are ready to run through walls to achieve the leader’s/team’s vision and objectives. The results achieved by such a team far exceed those achieved by a work group that is driven by a taskmaster or a group that feels it necessary to play politics and backstab each other.

Do you have the character and skills needed to build a relationship of trust and respect?