Do you know if your leadership style and approach is admired, revered, tolerated or feared? OK that’s not all the options but it’s a good scale. And have you any idea what your leadership style is costing the company? Or assuming the best, have you any idea what your great leadership is adding to the company?
For many leaders there is a strong desire to have meaningful feedback, not sycophantic praise, clichés or stabs in the back. Yes we do know when we’re getting that and it’s really a waste of everyone’s time. However how do you get genuine feedback that you can do something with? Well the best approach is to ask those you respect and value, to have a real conversation. That said this only works if you have a true relationship with the person. Otherwise chances are they’ll still hold back for fear of hurting you and the possible ongoing ramifications in their job. So if those you respect and value, at all levels of the organisation, don’t feel they can do this what other choices do you have.
One way of getting meaningful feedback on your leadership style is a 360 feedback survey. The one I use (having worked with quite a few) gives you the option to invite about 15-20 people to select the top 10 behaviours and values they see you demonstrate the most. There is also a few short questions they answer. You of course fill in the same thing. Now here’s the moment of truth – when we get your overall results to what extent is there a match between how you see yourself and how others experience you? For a start you get to see just how authentic you’re appearing as a leader. Do you walk your talk? The results highlight your strengths as in the ones others see in you. Of course if you’ve got any behaviours that are negatively affecting your relationship with staff these show up too. Then you have a choice, to change this or carry on regardless.
One thing that is so often overlooked is that without awareness we can’t even begin to change anything. We can’t work on our weaknesses and we don’t know how to make the most of our strengths.
One of the most common questions I get asked by my clients is “how do I know what I really need to work on?” They know it isn’t always the thing they think they should work on. The great thing about having an outsider coach & mentor you is that there is an external perspective and objective observation. Yet it isn’t enough. The extra does come from getting an internal correlation.
If you are ready to find out how authentic you are (and I have put this 360 degree feedback system to the most extreme of tests) then contact us. We can talk about where you are, where you want to be, ascertain if this is the right approach and the right time to ensure you’ll get a return on your investment.
