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In my leadership toolbox, feedback is an essential part serving as the engine of effective team performance. Drawing upon the car metaphor, I see positive feedback as the accelerator that ignites and drives good behaviours forward. In contrast, corrective feedback acts like the brakes, necessary to rectify issues and prevent potential accidents.
As a leader, understanding when to speed up and when to apply the brakes is vital. If I want to steer the team somewhere, I’ve to push down the accelerator and deliver positive feedback! However, if I never use the brakes and deliver corrective feedback, chances are we'll crash.
We briefly touched upon this in the previous section: feedback is integral to the growth and success of high-performing teams. Let's now delve into the why:
Firstly, feedback fosters a culture of trust, transparency, and psychological safety within the team. Feedback should never be a one-way street — it's not a monologue, but rather a dialogue that encourages questions, active listening, and shared understanding. As a manager, I acknowledge that I make mistakes. Thus, it's imperative for me to continuously seek feedback from those I lead and, importantly, return the favour.
Secondly, feedback helps mitigate conflicts, one of the most challenging aspects of people management that I've encountered. Undisclosed criticism is like a ticking time bomb — if not disarmed swiftly, it will eventually explode. Much like in our personal lives, remaining silent for extended periods about angst-inducing or frustrating issues can lead to massive outbursts.