As a Leader, You Need Good Feedback. Here’s How to Get It

Hierarchies solve <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_keys_to_a_healthy_workplace_hierarchy" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">a lot of problems</a>. But when it’s based on competency or merit, it creates a mental bug. A promotion becomes validation. “They wouldn’t promote you if they didn’t think you were capable” your spouse might whisper across your anxiety-sweat-drenched pillow at 4 am. “Yeah” you say, desperate to agree. And they’re probably right. In a way. We often get promoted because people believe we can do the job… eventually. As every promotion is a gamble. An educated one. They measure your suitability for the future job on your performance at the current one. But this can backfire, and often does. So much so, it has a name: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roddwagner/2018/04/10/new-evidence-the-peter-principle-is-real-and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=42cf14891809" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">The Peter Principle</a>. Where people rise through a company until they reach a level where they’re incompetent. Beating this starts with feedback. You need to know what stuff you do well and should do more of. And what stuff you do badly and should improve or do less of. <h1>Sounds Easy, Right?</h1> Not so fast. Leaders don’t want to look incompetent, so they often don’t openly acknowledge when they’re wrong. Because promotions bring pressure and expectations that complicate matters. Made a mistake? No worries, blame the intern. Lost your cool? They had it coming. Kept interrupting someone? Well your words just matter more. Yeah, these are legit things leaders do. And it’s often coming from this place of actually wanting to be seen to be good. Your brain is just playing mental defence. <a href="https://medium.com/management-matters/as-a-leader-you-need-good-feedback-heres-how-to-get-it-84ba9c0e458">Click Here</a>