Giving and Receiving Feedback The Leadership Challenge A

Giving and Receiving Feedback: The Leadership Challenge A Brown Bag Lunch Presentation Prepared for USIS, Grove City, PA Presented by: Dr. Barbara Vittitoe and Dr. Jim Wolford-Ulrich 22 July 2008

Today’s Presentation § Introduction and purpose § Leadership basics § Feedback – basic concepts § Feedback as part of a leader’s practice – Giving feedback – the leadership challenge – Receiving feedback – the leadership challenge § Implications – relevance to today §Q & A Giving & Receiving Feedback 2

Introduction & Purpose § Who we are § What we hope to accomplish: –Present an overview of an important organizational skill –Illustrate differences between leadership training and education –Give an online learning ‘sampler’ Giving & Receiving Feedback 3

Leadership Basics Giving & Receiving Feedback 4

What Leadership Isn’t § Leadership is often confused with – Power – Authority – Management – Administration – Control – Supervision Giving & Receiving Feedback 5

The Shifting Leadership Paradigm § Old paradigm – Stability – Control – Competition – Uniformity – Heroic – Individual § New Paradigm – Initiate change – Empowerment – Collaboration – Diversity – Purpose-driven – Team Giving & Receiving Feedback 6

“Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes. ” Rost, 1993, p. 102. Giving & Receiving Feedback 7

Leadership: Common Themes Core leadership ingredients: § assumption of personal responsibility § ability to articulate a preferred future (vision) § emotional intelligence, including – intra-personal knowledge (self-awareness) and – interpersonal influence (other-awareness) § tendency to act or decide with conviction Boyatzis, 1997, p. 464. 8

Leadership: Five Components Follower Leader Context Process The leadership process is both interactive and dynamic. Outcomes Giving & Receiving Feedback 9

Feedback Basic concepts Giving & Receiving Feedback 10

Feedback. . . § Is information: – “Any difference that makes a difference” (Bateson) § Surrounds us, bombards us … – In the environment – In the marketplace – In society – In organizations § Is necessary for adaptation and survival – Feedback is an invitation to adapt, to grow – Suppressing feedback leads to entropy and death Giving & Receiving Feedback 11

The Johari Window Known to You Unknown to You Arena Blind Spot Facade Unknown Known to Others Unknown to Others Giving & Receiving Feedback 12

Effects of Giving & Receiving Feedback Arena Blind Spot Facade Unknown §Greater openness §Increased trust §Fewer surprises §Less game playing Arena Facade Blind Spot Unknown Giving & Receiving Feedback 13

Giving Feedback The leadership challenge Giving & Receiving Feedback 14

Giving Feedback § Is a choice we make – Giving feedback sometimes takes courage § Requires that we be observant – It’s easy to notice things we don’t like – It’s also a valuable skill to recognize what we value and pass our appreciation along to others – It takes concentrated effort and imagination to identify what we do want (when it is absent) and to engage others in dialogue about how to achieve outcomes we collectively desire Giving & Receiving Feedback 15

The Art of Giving Feedback § Assumptions – We care about our own, our team’s and our company’s performance – We take responsibility for effective communication – We respect others’ need for autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and self-direction § A skill that we continually hone – Tailor the approach to the particular person – Act appropriately given the situation – Keep the ‘big picture’ in mind – Encourage open, mutual feedback Giving & Receiving Feedback 16

Receiving Feedback The leadership challenge Giving & Receiving Feedback 17

Framing Feedback We Receive § Feedback plays an essential role in leading ourselves to grow and make changes in our behavior § Attitude Matters – Feedback can be a gift, regardless of the source – We are not our behavior. Be kind to yourself! – Guard against two natural tendencies: • to rate our performance more highly than others do • to blame others or circumstances when we fail Giving & Receiving Feedback 18

Mining Feedback for Gold § Turning Feedback into Change – Understand the organizational norms on giving and receiving feedback – Design ways to get the feedback you need – Create a feedback-rich climate “Feedback is the breakfast of champions” -- Ken Blanchard Giving & Receiving Feedback 19

Implications Relevance to today’s organizations Giving & Receiving Feedback 20

Today’s Global Context § Organizations: larger, flatter, more complex – Leadership is needed at all levels – not just the top – Leaders and followers who are sensing what is happening in their part of the organization / world and sharing that information with others § A company’s reputation is fragile – Employees need to speak out quickly whenever they see poor quality or service § Retaining talent is critical – Abundant, open and balanced feedback supports a positive, performance-based culture Giving & Receiving Feedback 21

Your Questions? We appreciate your feedback! Giving & Receiving Feedback 22

For Further Learning: http: //www. inflectionpoints. com/usis Giving & Receiving Feedback 23

References Boyatzis, R. E. (1997). Management: A sociological introduction [Review of the book Management: A sociological introduction]. Human Relations, 50(4), 461 -466. Luft, J. (1969). Johari Window. An experience in self-disclosure and feedback. In J. W. Pfeiffer & J. E. Jones (Eds. ) A handbook of structured experience for human relations training. San Diego, CA: University Associates. Rost, J. C. (1993). Leadership for the twenty-first century. Westport, CT: Praeger. Vittitoe, B. J. & Wolford-Ulrich, J. (2006). Defining leadership [Narrated Power. Point presentation]. Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University, School of Leadership & Professional Advancement. Giving & Receiving Feedback 24