Seek the opinion of your coach, colleagues, clients and employees. When giving feedback, focus on what the person is doing well (and not just what can improve). If your comments relate to a problem, look for opportunities to “see that person doing well.” It reinforces positive behavior. We spoke with Mark Cannon, professor of management at Vanderbilt Business and instructor of the Vanderbilt Executive Education leadership training program, who shares 5 tips for leaders to provide effective feedback to a team. The mission of the Executive Advisory and Feedback Program (ECFP) is to train and support all MBA students in their quest for greater self-knowledge and better leadership skills to promote individual success and team and community performance.
The ECFP, which follows the model of the executive training programs of major companies and is based on scholarships and best practices in the field, is designed to provide students with the structure and flexibility necessary to develop their leadership capacity. Starting in the second year of the MBA program, students receive a series of six executive training sessions. In this approach, you and a coach jointly create a set of questions that are meaningful to you and select 8 to 12 colleagues for the coach to interview on your behalf. Encourage and train consistently For a team to respond well to feedback, it's first important that the leader has already established a pattern of consistent support and training.
