An executive dismisses feedback due to their authority. How can you effectively guide them towards growth?

Discard the feedback and get their input on what they want to develop in their leadership skills. There is no point in pushing back on pushback, it just reinforces the deadlocked dynamic. Instead, focus on building trust and rapport, focus on their needs, priorities, and goals, and try to draw connections between those and any positive feedback provided.

'Empathy' is the answer to this! Be aware NOT to react through your own biases and EGO :D Ego can be a defense mechanism, protecting their self-esteem and status. If feedback appears to be a perceived criticism or judgment, it might feel like a personal attack to them. Acknowledge this while being unbiased and focus on creating a space where they can feel comfortable to explore further. Understanding their perspective, their context and the underlying reasons for their resistance helps in crafting a more effective approach to guide them towards growth. Awareness has great power. Then comes exploration and reflection!

Oh, that's a tricky one. Here are some strategies I use for myself and my clients: Build Trust: Ensure the executive feels respected and valued to create a trusting environment. Use Objective Data: Provide feedback based on measurable facts to make it harder to dismiss. Encourage Self-Evaluation: Prompt the executive to reflect on their own performance and identify areas for improvement. Provide Concrete Examples: Use specific examples to clarify feedback and illustrate its impact. Promote Continuous Feedback: Foster a culture of regular, two-way feedback to normalize the process.

Sometimes, our drive to succeed can lead to a reluctance to acknowledge areas for improvement. This can be a natural defense mechanism. Our goal is to create a safe space where we can explore these areas together, fostering self-discovery and ultimately, growth. By openly considering the situation and the feedback you've received, we can unlock new perspectives and develop more effective strategies.

Sollte das Ego oder defensives Verhalten des Coachees zu Beginn im Weg stehen, lohnt sich meist die Abgrenzung zur Leistungsbewertung klar heraus zu arbeiten. Die Leistungsbewertung als Ergebnis eine Einstufung, die oft Auswirkung auf die Vergütung oder sogar den Verbleib in der Position hat. Das Coaching hat das Ziel eine höhere Einstufung zu erreichen! Nur das Blockieren des Coachings kann also eine Bedrohung sein.

It can be easy to confuse a strong personality with resistance to feedback. I think many times top executives have many reasons for behaving as they do. As a coach, before giving advice, it is incredibly important to understand the exec's perspective. Listening to & understanding their reasoning is key to understanding whether they actually are even being truly resistant to feedback. For ex., a leader may need to conduct layoffs & they may have 1000 good reasons for doing so, even if it's an extremely difficult decision to make. That said, once I do understand the client's full perspective, I ask them whether they are open to considering other perspectives. Often, simply asking if they are open to additional perspectives relaxes them.

Remember, growth often comes from stepping out of our comfort zones. By providing a safe space for reflection and learning, you can help even the most authoritative executives see the value in feedback. Encourage them to view feedback as a stepping stone to excellence, not as a setback. 🌱 🌟 Acknowledge their strengths to build rapport. 🎯 Align feedback with their goals to show relevance. 🧠 Present feedback objectively to avoid defensiveness. 📈 Frame feedback as a growth opportunity. 🗣️ Foster self-reflection with open-ended questions. 🤝 Offer support and partnership on their growth journey.

Your words have power. Choose them wisely. Don't make feedback a performance evaluation or personal attack! “Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.” ~Buddha

When an executive dismisses feedback due to their authority, you can guide them towards a growth mindset and respect their position: a) Emphasize the Value of Feedback for Continuous Improvement: I would start by reinforcing the idea that no matter how high we rise in an organization, there is always room for growth and improvement. b) Leverage Objective Data and Examples: To counteract the dismissal of feedback, I would use objective data from 360-degree feedback tools to illustrate how the executive's behavior is perceived by others. c) Focus on the Future with Feedforward: Instead of dwelling on past behaviors, I would engage the executive in the process of feedforward, which involves focusing on future-oriented solutions and actions.

Encouraging self-reflection is an effective way to help them understand the importance of feedback. Self-reflection fosters a sense of ownership and empowers them to consider merit of the feedback. As a coach, facilitate the process well by asking questions that prompt them to think about their leadership style, decision-making process, and interactions with others. It can lead to meaningful insights. When they arrive at conclusions on their own, it's easy to take ownership of the changes needed. It reduces resistance and promotes a growth mindset.

Feedback is often dismissed due to authority, missing a chance for growth. What if we approached this with “Spiritual Intelligence”? By connecting feedback to deeper values and the broader purpose of leadership, we can shift the perspective. Instead of focusing solely on outcomes, we can highlight how our actions resonate with the team’s spirit. This shift can inspire executives to see feedback not as criticism but as a pathway to collective growth and authenticity. In this way, context becomes a bridge to understanding and transformation.