Managers should ask for feedback

This resource first appeared in issue #105 on 16 Jan 2022 and has tags Managing A Team: Other, Becoming A Manager: Feedback, Strategy: Managing Up

Managers should ask for feedback - CJ Cenizal

Cenizal makes what should be an uncontroversial - but relatively uncommonly followed - point that managers should be routinely asking for input on their own behaviours and leadership from their team members. This is much more easily done if there are routine one-on-ones, if the ask for input is also routine (not necessarily every one-on-one, but frequent), and the manager has a habit of demonstrating that they take such input seriously and are comfortable talking about their weaknesses and missteps. All of this is prerequisite for getting better at being a manager, team lead, project manager, or any other kind of leader! In the article, Cenizal lays out the steps:

Establish the fundamentals (one-on-ones, and giving feedback)
Solicit feedback, supported by demonstrating transparency, vulnerability, and asking good questions (e.g. “what should I be doing differently”, not just “is there anything I should be doing differently” or, worse, “how am I doing”
Accept what you hear
Think and plan

I’d add a final step, following up with the team member. It’s important to show that you’ve taken the input and what underlies it seriously, even if you don’t adopt their proposed solution wholesale.