How Leaders Must Follow Through After Collecting Feedback

There is so much to gain from seeking feedback as the leader of your team.

Leaders who effective seeking feedback:

• Build trust within the organization
• Set the example to be followed by others
• Make their team feel like they have a voice and that their thoughts matter
• Identify existing pain points for their team
• Identify what’s working well 

But collecting feedback, through something like a leadership 360 review or culture engagement survey, is just the first part of the work required for leaders to harness the power of receiving feedback from their team.

Collecting feedback on performance or culture can be a first step in driving so many positive outcomes for an organization.

However, there’s a catch:

Collecting feedback and not doing anything with it will be more detrimental to your organization than not collecting it at all. 

That’s right.

Once leadership asks for feedback, leadership has to be accountable for what’s received. That does not mean that leadership is obligated to follow through on every piece of feedback given–that’s not realistic.  

However, there are some actions leaders must take after receiving feedback from their team in order to build engagement and not erode it. 

Leaders Must Acknowledge the Feedback Received

Thank your team for taking the time to provide feedback and acknowledge the time, thought, and effort required to provide it. 

Leaders Must Consider the Feedback Received 

Spend time with what’s provided and have an open mind to what’s possible.

Leaders Must Follow Up on the Feedback Received

Share with your team what feedback was received. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Putting the information out there presents an opportunity for transparency to build trust.   

Leaders Should Address What Feedback Cannot be Acted on

There is always going to be feedback, thoughts, and ideas collected that are not feasible. That’s OK. Acknowledge it and share why it isn’t feasible. Transparency here is important.  

Leaders Must Take Action, When Appropriate

Team members want to see that action and change happen directly from the feedback they provided. When a new initiative, policy, or change is made, acknowledge that it came from feedback provided. Connecting the dots between what feedback was received and what changed because of it shows team members that their voice can make an impact.

Follow Through Effectively and Grow Engagement

Leaders who collect feedback frequently from their team have the ability to build engagement by receiving it and following through on it effectively. When team members feel like their voice is heard, considered, and acted on, engagement within the organization will grow.

Action and follow through is incredibly important. Follow through well and build engagement. Follow through poorly and erode engagement.

What are you doing to follow through well after receiving feedback from your team?