Great topic. Great TED podcast.

For hardcopy reading on the topic, I recommend the following three books:

Difficult Conversations, Thanks for the Feedback, and Getting Past “No”

All books that helped me at various stages/positions/assignments to receive and/or give feedback well (or as well as possible in certain circumstances). This is important leader business that cannot be outsourced. Feedback (constructive criticism) is how we grow ourselves and our team.

This conversation all connects well to the JOF discussion on “discipline” here. The ability of a leader and an organization to receive criticism with positivity, gratitude, and optimism are good indicators of a healthy command climate and good discipline. For more on that connection, and how to properly invite constructive criticism into your organization read Turn Your Ship Around.

Personally, I believe one of the most powerful and least employed tools for personal growth is the Army’s 360 feedback (which exists under a pair of titles these days and is undergoing updates under the supervision of the Center for Army Leaders). MSAF 360 is what most officers know from their OERs. So, attached is a template email I would send to all my respondents for 360 feedback. I never just sent the auto-generated email notifications. I would send a group Bcc email to everyone I was hoping would be giving me feedback. I would also deliberately select respondents with whom I held a contentious professional relationship. The staff officer I yelled at, yup! The brother or sister peer that seemed to hate me for some reason, yup! The Soldier I was administratively separating, yup! The new Soldier that barely knew me, yup (first impressions feedback)!

The criticism and self-awareness I gained through all these rounds of 360 and peer feedback have not changed who I am, but they have made me more self-aware of how I am perceived. That has helped make me a better leader.

Hope this adds value to the conversation. Thanks for the jump-off point.

And remember, everyone, feedback is a gift!

~Jeff