We work hard at getting better,â adds Steve Freinemund. Feedback helped him and the PepsiCo board measure their joint performance on a variety of issues and identify their capabilities that were lacking. It provided a new - and refreshingly apolitical - method of looking for new board members. âAs a result, we went out for our two new board members and had the perfect conditions met based on the needs we identified in the process.
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Pixar's Braintrust has rules. First, feedback must be constructive â and about the project, not the person. Similarly, the filmmaker cannot be defensive or take criticism personally and must be ready to hear the truth. Second, the comments are suggestions, not prescriptions. There are no mandates, top-down or otherwise; the director is ultimately the one responsible for the movie and can take or leave solutions offered. Third, candid feedback is not a âgotchaâ but must come from a place of empathy. It helps that the directors have often already gone through the process themselves. Praise and appreciation, especially for the director's vision and ambition, are doled out in heaping measures.
A controlled experimental study of 1,361 global corporation managers showed that feedback-based coaching increased the managersâ propensity to seek advice and improved their subsequent performance one year later.
After Leslie gave constructive feedback to Barry, Barry gave constructive feedback to Patty and later to me. Seeing how well he had responded to Leslieâs feedback, Barryâs team dared to tell him, with a bit of humor, when his moodiness was slipping back in and started giving more feedback to one another. We hadnât hired any new talent or raised anyoneâs salaries, but day-by-day candor was increasing talent density in the office.
⢠Candor is like going to the dentist. Even if you encourage everyone to brush daily, some wonât do it. Those who do may still miss the uncomfortable spots. A thorough session every six to twelve months ensures clean teeth and clear feedback.
⢠Performance reviews are not the best mechanism for a candid work environment, primarily because the feedback usually goes only one way (down) and comes from only one person (the boss).
⢠A 360 written report is a good mechanism for annual feedback. But avoid anonymity and numeric ratings, donât link results to raises or promotions, and open up comments to anyone who is ready to give them.
⢠Live 360 dinners are another effective process. Set aside several hours away from the office. Give clear instructions, follow the 4A feedback guidelines, and use the Start, Stop, Continue method with roughly 25 percent positive, 75 percent developmentalâall actionable and no fluff.
[Carly] Fiorina, who in fact had done such an in-depth study of the company and the situation that she had many of the answers, probably meant to reassure people by her knowledge. But by not asking questions and by not failing to have some answers, she scared many of the employees. Fortunately, when this feedback was delivered and received, Fiorina adapted her active listening and allowed her natural gift for communication to flourish. This increased her credibility and at the same time deepened her insights into the company, its challenges, and its opportunities.