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?