Maximizing the Impact of Your Leadership 360 Feedback

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Maximizing the Impact of Your Leadership 360 Feedback

Receiving a Leadership 360 report is not just a milestone, but a transformative moment in your professional journey. Having worked with numerous leaders and delved into empirical studies on the impact of self-awareness through feedback, I can attest to the profound power of this tool when approached with the right mindset.

The Gift of Feedback

First and foremost, it's crucial to view your 360 report as a rare and precious gift. Your colleagues and team members have invested their time and energy to provide you with valuable insights into your leadership style, strengths, and areas for growth. This feedback is a unique opportunity to see yourself through the eyes of others and gain a more comprehensive understanding of your impact as a leader.

Qualitative and Quantitative Insights

Your 360 report likely contains both qualitative and quantitative feedback. The quantitative data provides a measurable snapshot of your performance across various leadership competencies, while the qualitative comments offer context and specific examples. Both types of feedback are valuable and should be considered in tandem.

Studies have consistently shown that leaders who actively seek and reflect on feedback demonstrate higher levels of self-awareness, which correlates with improved team performance, better decision-making, and enhanced overall leadership effectiveness.

Focusing Your Development Efforts

While the temptation to address every area in your report may be strong, research suggests that focusing on 2-3 key competencies provides a clear and guided path to significant improvements. Here's how to approach this:

1. Identify patterns: Look for themes that emerge across both quantitative ratings and qualitative comments.

2. Consider impact: Which competencies, if improved, would have the most substantial positive effect on your team and organization?

3. Leverage strengths: The most impactful growth sometimes comes from further developing an existing strength.

Once you've selected your focus areas, it's time to dig deeper. Seek additional feedback from trusted colleagues to gain more specific insights into these competencies. This targeted approach allows for a more nuanced understanding and lays the groundwork for effective development planning.

Crafting Your Professional Development Plan

You're ready to create a professional development plan with your focus areas identified and supplementary feedback gathered. This plan should be:

1. Specific: Clearly define what success looks like for each competency.

2. Actionable: Include concrete steps you'll take to improve.

3. Measurable: Determine how you'll track progress.

4. Time-bound: Set realistic timelines for achieving your goals.

Share this plan with your manager, mentor, or coach. Their input can help refine your approach and ensure alignment with organizational goals. Moreover, sharing your plan demonstrates your commitment to growth and can foster valuable support for your development journey.

Productive vs. Counterproductive Responses

To make the most of your 360 feedback, it's essential to approach it with the right mindset. Here's a contrast between common counterproductive responses and more effective alternatives:

Counterproductive:

• Dismissing feedback as inaccurate or biased

• Focusing solely on negative comments

• Attempting to identify who said what

• Becoming defensive or making excuses

Productive:

• Expressing gratitude for the feedback

• Looking for patterns and themes across all comments

• Focusing on actions and behaviors, not personal attributes

• Seeking clarification and additional examples to deepen understanding

The Path Forward

Remember, self-awareness is an ongoing journey. Your 360 report is not a final judgment but a snapshot in time and a tool for growth. Leaders who embrace this feedback and commit to continuous improvement often report increased job satisfaction, better relationships with their teams, and enhanced overall performance.

As you progress, maintain an open dialogue about your development efforts with your colleagues. Regularly solicit informal feedback to gauge your progress and adjust your approach. This ongoing commitment to growth benefits you as a leader and sets a powerful example for your entire team.

By approaching your Leadership 360 report with openness, focus, and a commitment to action, you're positioning yourself for significant personal and professional growth. Embrace this opportunity, and watch as your enhanced self-awareness translates into more effective and impactful leadership.

Courage in Leadership: Mastering the Art of Upward Feedback

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How One Leader Overcame His Fears to Address Crucial Issues

As leaders, we often find ourselves in situations where we need to provide feedback - not just to our direct reports but also to our superiors. This upward feedback can be particularly challenging, as it requires courage, tact, and a delicate balance of respect and honesty. Austin, a manufacturing plant manager at a large automotive plant, recently faced such a dilemma when he needed to address his boss's negative comments about hourly workers.

Austin's situation is not uncommon. Many leaders struggle with giving feedback to their superiors, fearing potential repercussions or damaging the relationship. However, these crucial conversations, when handled thoughtfully, can lead to positive outcomes, fostering team morale, productivity, and organizational culture.

So, how can leaders overcome their fears and effectively provide feedback to their bosses? Here are some key strategies:

1. Gain clarity: Before initiating the conversation, ensure you clearly understand the issue at hand. Austin reflected on specific instances where his boss's comments were problematic, allowing him to articulate the situation more effectively.

2. Use a structured approach: Employ a feedback model like SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to frame your message. This helps keep the feedback objective and focused on specific behaviors rather than personal judgments.

3. Practice and prepare: Rehearse your feedback alone or with a trusted colleague or coach. This can help you refine your message and boost your confidence.

4. Choose the right time and place: Timing is crucial when delivering feedback. Find an appropriate moment when your boss will likely be receptive and not rushed or stressed.

5. Ask for permission: Start the conversation by asking if it's a good time to share observations or feedback. This shows respect and allows the recipient to be mentally prepared.

6. Focus on the impact: Clearly articulate how the behavior affects you, the team, and the organization. Austin realized that his boss's negative comments were demotivating other team members and potentially harming the company's culture change efforts.

7. Offer solutions: Come prepared with suggestions for improvement or alternative approaches. This demonstrates a constructive mindset and shows you're committed to finding solutions.

8. Be open to dialogue: Feedback is a two-way street. Be prepared to listen to your boss's perspective and engage in a meaningful conversation about the issue.

9. Follow up: Discuss progress and any changes observed after the initial conversation. This reinforces the importance of the feedback and shows your commitment to ongoing improvement.

While giving feedback to your boss can be daunting, it's an essential skill for effective leadership. By addressing issues head-on, you contribute to a more positive work environment and demonstrate your commitment to the organization's success.

Austin's journey reminds us that growth often lies outside our comfort zone. As he prepared to have this crucial conversation with his superior, he faced his fears and took a significant step in his leadership development. By modeling the behavior of giving constructive feedback, Austin set an example for his team and contributed to a culture of open communication.

Remember, providing upward feedback isn't about criticism; it's about you, as a leader, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and mutual respect. Your role in this can strengthen relationships, improve organizational effectiveness, and showcase your leadership capabilities when done thoughtfully and professionally.

So, the next time you find yourself hesitating to give feedback to your boss, remember Austin's experience. Take a deep breath, prepare thoroughly, and step forward with confidence. Your courage to have these difficult conversations may catalyze positive organizational change.

For more Insights articles on leadership, coaching, and mentoring, visit www.advance.net/insights. If you prefer Podcasts, listen to our latest episode of Mentor Leadership.

Enjoy your next feedback conversation!

Where To Begin ReBuilding A Broken Team

Upsplash @charles_forerunner

As a consultant working with teams, I see firsthand the differences between low-trust, toxic teams and high-performing, cohesive teams. Working closely with leaders and teams to help facilitate a turnaround, the discovery session often begins with words like low morale, little engagement, loss of productivity, high negativity, group silos, and little communication. These team dynamics can be overwhelming for the leader, navigating and suffocating for the team members.

If you know a leader or team in this state, I welcome you to keep reading. 

An all too familiar story of leader Mark and Emily's uncommon courage

Unsplash @d_mccullough

Once, in a bustling construction firm, there existed a project management team led by Mark, a capable but indifferent manager. Despite their talents, the PM team members were trapped in a toxic work environment characterized by micromanagement, blame-shifting, and a lack of communication. With morale at an all-time low and productivity plummeting, it seemed as though the team was spiraling towards failure.

Amidst the chaos, Emily, a junior PM, couldn't bear to witness the decline any longer. Despite her apprehensions, she decided to confront the situation head-on. Summoning all her courage, she approached Mark and candidly expressed her concerns about the team's dynamics. To her surprise, Mark listened intently to her feedback, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

Inspired by Emily's courage, Mark embarked on a journey of self-reflection and transformation. He realized that authentic leadership required more than just overseeing tasks; it demanded empathy, communication, and a willingness to foster a positive work culture. With newfound determination, Mark initiated open dialogues with his team, encouraging them to voice their grievances and aspirations.

A remarkable shift occurred as the team engaged in honest conversations and collaborative problem-solving. Walls were broken down, trust was rebuilt, and a newfound camaraderie emerged. With Mark leading by example, the toxic behaviors that once plagued the team gradually dissipated, creating a culture of respect, accountability, and innovation.

Over time, the team's efforts bore fruit as productivity soared, morale reached new heights, and camaraderie flourished. What was once a toxic team transformed into a tightly-knit unit, united by a shared vision and fueled by the courage to enact positive change. Emily's initial courage ignited a ripple effect, reminding everyone that with intentional leadership and collective effort, even the most toxic environments can be transformed into thriving communities of collaboration and growth.

Mark and Emily's team of PMs reflects team dynamics that are all too common in the workplace. 

After working with hundreds of teams over the last decade, I've identified some standard terms that describe a low-trust team environment that captures the atmosphere and dynamics within the team. Here are some descriptors:

1. Distrustful: Characterized by suspicion, skepticism, and a lack of confidence in others' intentions or abilities.

2. Tense: Signifying a palpable sense of unease, discomfort, or anxiety among team members due to underlying distrust or conflict.

3. Fragmented: Reflecting a lack of cohesion or unity within the team, with individuals operating in silos and limited collaboration or communication.

4. Toxic: Indicating a detrimental or harmful environment characterized by negativity, backbiting, and interpersonal conflict.

5. Unsupportive: Describing an environment where team members do not feel supported or valued by their colleagues or leaders.

6. Closed-off: Suggesting more openness or transparency, with information hoarded or withheld, hindering effective communication and collaboration.

7. Inefficient: Refers to a lack of productivity or effectiveness within the team due to distrust, communication barriers, or a focus on self-preservation rather than collective success.

8. Stagnant: Describing a lack of growth or progress within the team, as distrust and negativity inhibit innovation, creativity, and risk-taking.

9. Reactive: Signifying a tendency to respond defensively or impulsively to challenges or conflicts rather than proactively addressing underlying issues.

10. Draining: Indicating that the atmosphere within the team is emotionally exhausting or draining, with constant tension and conflict taking a toll on morale and motivation.

These often emotionally weighty words paint a picture of a team environment lacking trust, hindering collaboration, communication, and overall effectiveness. Recognizing and addressing these issues is essential for rebuilding trust and creating a more positive and productive team culture. 

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We must acknowledge the pain of what's wrong before moving towards what's right.

Where do you begin to turn a team culture?   

Authentic leaders facilitate the conversation more than focus on fixing the problem. Whether you are the leader or team member, you have a voice and a part to play in building an effective team. 

Begin by reflecting on these teamwork questions that offer valuable insights into the dynamics and effectiveness of our team:

Where are we going: the motivation of a common goal?

Establishing a common goal is the North Star that guides our collective efforts and fuels our motivation. A clear destination instills a sense of purpose and unity among team members. We must regularly revisit and reaffirm our common goal, ensuring everyone remains aligned and inspired to contribute their best.

Who's got your back: the value of trust?

Trust forms the bedrock of our team's cohesion and effectiveness. Knowing that we can rely on each other creates a sense of psychological safety, enabling us to take risks, share ideas, and collaborate more effectively. Building and maintaining trust requires consistent communication, transparency, and integrity. By fostering an environment of trust, we create a supportive ecosystem where every team member feels valued and empowered.

Who's doing what: the importance of clarity of roles and responsibilities?

Clarity of roles and responsibilities ensures that each team member understands their contribution to the collective effort. When everyone knows what is expected of them, it minimizes confusion, reduces redundancy, and enhances overall efficiency. Regularly revisiting and refining roles and responsibilities based on evolving needs and circumstances is crucial for optimizing team performance and maintaining accountability.

What's working and what's not: how do we level-set working team dynamics?

Reflecting on what's working and what's not allows us to identify strengths to leverage and areas for improvement to address. We must create a continuous feedback and reflection culture where team members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives openly and constructively. We can identify opportunities to optimize workflows, resolve conflicts, and foster a more inclusive and productive working environment by periodically assessing our team dynamics, communication patterns, and collaboration processes.

In conclusion, these reflective questions serve as valuable checkpoints for evaluating and enhancing the effectiveness of our teamwork. Look for opportunities to begin the conversation to explore ways you would collectively answer these questions as a team. You can strengthen our collaboration and achieve tremendous success by prioritizing a common goal, cultivating trust, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and regularly assessing and adjusting our team dynamics. Your next step is the courage to start the conversation. 

Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast! 3 Competencies To Strengthen Your Soft Skills

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. What a big idea, right?

As a leader in your organization, you proudly celebrate the wins. On occasion, it doesn’t work that way and during a loss, you may ask yourself whether it was you, your team, or the organization as the root cause. With each examination, you may see a pattern within your company culture itself, through discussion, surfacing time and time again.

“Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast!”

— Peter Drucker

Two areas of tension leaders in any organization must balance daily are that of hard and soft skills. Most leaders excel greatly in hard skills. They know their product or service inside and out. They understand delivery and execution in order to promote and provide markets for their product or service. It is then not surprising that with leaders focused so strong on hard skills, many lack what amounts to be the equally, if not of greater importance, the soft skills needed to manage the people of the organization.

Through many years of coaching leaders, it has become clear to me that there are three primary areas of competencies needed within any organization. They include:

1. Effective Communication
   Great leaders are effective communicators. What are we communicating? What are the questions we’re asking? Are we taking time to actually listen to understand what’s happening? And then being able to turn around and explicitly share those ideas with a broader audience and making sure it lands and hits its mark so that we know that we’re communicating clearly and effectively that engages the rest of our people. (We recommend leaders start by answering 3 questions).

2. Creating Connection
   We are wired for meaningful relationships. Sometimes, when we meet with people, there’s just a disconnect. And sometimes we just don’t even know why. It’s often this place of just connection with those key people. We really want to understand what’s happening there, and what can we do to build stronger levels of trust and unity so that we can have a healthy working relationship? (We recommend the Conversationalist for building stronger connection).

3. Change Management
   Change is necessary for continued growth. That’s a big idea in terms of a leadership sense of expectations. Are we moving too fast? Perhaps we’re moving too slow. Somewhere in there is finding that cadence of what is the rate of change where we work well and thrive within. Change is hard and if we don't change, then things won’t happen as we expect, and our results will suffer.

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What is Culture?

Values + Behavior = Culture

To deep dive into your organization, your team, or even the culture that you live as a leader, look at those values. What are the things that are core to who you are? Are you moving them from implicit ideas to explicit? When you do, then, you can begin putting a plan together on how to live those ideas out.

Culture is a complex idea because we’re dealing with the soft skills. If you want to improve your culture, start there. What are those values? How do we live them out? 

Communication - Connection - Change

I would encourage you to look at those three areas of communicating effectively, being able to make strong connections with your people, and then, finally, look at your expectation around change management.

Final Thoughts

When you do the above suggested actions, they will strengthen your culture. When blended with your strategy, suddenly you’re going to see your results successfully executed, positively affecting your bottom line. Hope this has been helpful.

If you need help with your leadership skills the Advance team provides one free complimentary coaching session. It will help you clarify your answers and give you a plan to lead more effectively. (We provide a professional coaching experience, not a sales pitch!)

If you want to be a more effective leader select Start Now!

What Leaders Do to Communicate More Effectively

Leadership requires perspective in order to communicate effectively.

• Daily demands steal our clarity.

• Decision fatigue dulls our strategy.

• Doubt can rob us of confidence.

When you’re suffering from these moments, being a leader and doing the work of one can feel overwhelming. You may be more reactive than proactive. The very idea of taking time to get some perspective may come across as a luxury. You may even say to yourself, "I have no time" or "I’ll take some time one day." However, we know work is always there, and the demands on our time never end.

3 Important Questions To Help Leaders Gain More Prospective

Coaching entrepreneurs and executive leaders gain the perspective by looking at and answering three questions:

• Where are we going? Vision~ Dream~ Mission~Opportunities~Making a Difference

• Who is the team that will get us there? Your #1 Team~ Support~ Culture~ Clients~ Advisors~ Stakeholders

• What needs to be done today? Problems to Solve~ Projects~ Priorities

“Effective communication maximizes leadership success.”

A mentor once taught me that leadership brings order out of chaos. Every day, you know the level of chaos that you face. It’s real! Get your thoughts in order. Clarity of thought will bring insights. Now, you can formulate a plan. You’ll know what priority to focus on first and what is second. You will gain perspective faster than you realize.

We encourage leaders to retreat, so you can advance. You can take a step back to get some perspective and move forward. The above three questions offer you some pause; allowing you to communicate with more clarity and confidence. As a leader, people are looking to you for answers!

Leaders Must Discipline Themselves To Be Effective Communicators

Communication is a discipline – something you can start now!

• Think about your answers to the 3 questions.

• Brainstorm ideas, writing down potential answers.

• Highlight any words or statements that grip you.

• Commit to sharing those answers – to who and when.

• Watch and learn from their response to refine the message.

“How will you communicate your answers to them?”

Communication is a discipline, and leaders use their words!

It’s so important to use yours wisely and make them count. If your words miss the mark, then look at them from another perspective. This will be the first proactive step you take.

If you need help the Advance team provides one free complimentary coaching session. It will help you clarify your answers and give you a plan to communicate more effectively. (We provide a professional coaching experience, not a sales pitch!)

If you want to be a more effective communicator select Start Now! Then you will receive an email of including next steps to prepare for your free coaching session!