When new leaders and managers are faced with criticism of their organization or themselves, we find too frequently the impulsive reaction to dismiss that criticism, squash the negativity and perhaps fire those negative people.
Great leadership requires getting beyond the initial shock of friends and former peers calling you out for ideas and behavior that until your promotion may have made you “one of them.”
So how do you get past that shock? Follow these tips and join me July 27 and Aug. 10 at info sessions for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Mastering Management Program, which will help new leaders tackle new challenges.
Leaders search for opportunities to change the status quo.
Dismissal of critics can be a mistake. These critics are often passionate about your organization and you, but can’t artfully voice the desire for improvement. Worse, when you ignore them, they are denied an opportunity to contribute, collaborate and feel part of an organization. Disengagement leads to unhappiness, which, in turn, leads to lowered productivity. As a result you lose an opportunity to keep your critics engaged in your success.
Properly harnessed criticism and complaints can be turned into constructive feedback that can be used to improve professional development programs, products, services and strategic planning.
It starts with the ask.
Properly constructed, 360-degree tools can contain criticism of management or leadership and filter it. Not only are critics given a voice, but also a platform to constructively and candidly engage with company management and leadership, which can lead to change. Research has proven that if the correct behavior change is sustained, it will improve an organization’s effectiveness.
Custom surveys can be used to capture qualitative data and feedback about products and services. Properly constructed with statistical validity, these surveys can help interpret changing consumer tastes, competitive threats and demographic trends. Also, this data can be used as leading-edge indicators that drive innovation efforts and strategic planning, as well as risk identification and risk management.
Done right, survey tools will filter the feedback into useful and meaningful data that can be used to improve leaders and managers, improving the productivity and profitability of your organization.
Want to learn more about the Mastering Management Program? Click here to register for the info session on either July 27 or Aug. 10.
Ken Greenberg is the CEO of KLG Consultants, LLC, a talent acquisition and management firm based in Colorado.