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It often happens that employees have difficulty giving constructive feedback upwards, i.e. to a hierarchically superior executive, e.g. to the department manager or the team leader of the team. The difficulty can be due to various reasons. Either because the employee does not know how to have a constructive communication with the hierarchically superior executive or because he/she believes that it is only the manager's job to give feedback, or because the supervisor does not wish to receive feedback, perhaps he/she has not realized that something is wrong with the project or the collaboration, perhaps he/she has not foreseen some time for it, or he/she had not thought about it, etc.
I am sharing some basic principles of upward feedback.
#1 Case
«"Zove I have a problem with the manager" and I don't know how to talk to him. I'm trying from the outside - from the outside to give him the message but it's no use. The work is not progressing as it should...". This is how the individual coaching session with Aristides began.
«"Aristides, have you asked your boss if it would help if you gave him feedback on specific points in the project?"»
«"The truth is, no. He should come and ask me."»
«"Yes! In an ideal work environment, it is the manager's responsibility to create the right conditions for safe feedback. But when that doesn't happen, really, how will it help your collaboration if you ask me?"»
#1 Before giving constructive feedback to a superior, it is important to find out whether the person is receptive and willing to listen to you. If you are not sure that the person wants to receive feedback from you or if the subject of the feedback is sensitive, it is almost always better not to speak up.
Valentina, during the third individual session, was complaining that the team leader on the systems upgrade project was doing everything wrong.
«"If I were in her place, I would have set different priorities, made different decisions, and organized the work better. That's what she should have done, but I'm not saying anything because I might get in trouble."»
«"Valentina, how can you help the team leader improve?"»
#2 Focus on how you can help the senior executive improve, without making suggestions and without necessarily requiring them to implement what you would do if you were in their place.
#3η Case
Gabriel had prepared for the meeting with his boss. Specifically, his boss, as part of the leadership development program he was attending, asked him for feedback, as it was one of the tasks in her action plan. She asked him to be honest with her. However, Gabriel was disappointed after the meeting.
«"Zoe, the meeting didn't go well because my boss took a defensive stance and I understood that she was upset by what I said to her"»
«"Did you focus on her behavior or aspects of her personality and character?"»
«"Mainly in her character"»
#4 Case
Daphne has doubts about whether her boss wants to receive feedback from her. So she prefers to keep her mouth shut. But she believes that his behavior could jeopardize the performance of the employees.
«"How else could you give feedback?";»
«"In writing and I prefer it to be done anonymously."»
#4 Look for opportunities to provide anonymous feedback, such as a 360-degree feedback process.
How ready are you for upward feedback?;
Source: Article: How to Give Your Boss Feedback, by Amy Gallo, HBR, March 24, 2010
