Leaders must be open to receiving feedback

Venkatesh, Sudheesh (2024) Leaders must be open to receiving feedback. People matters.

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Abstract

सुलभाःपुरुषाराजन्सततंप्रियवादिनः।अप्रियस्यचपथ्यस्यवक्ताश्रोताचदुर्लभः (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda) Maricha here counsels Ravana on why it is critical for kings to surround themselves with those who ‘speak truth to power’.Buddha’s Dhammapada also has a similar saying. With all this age-old wisdom too, leaders often do not seem to attach much importance to it. Reluctance to receive feedback is natural. Corrective feedback tends to shake one’s self-esteem and ego and in extreme cases can lead to distress. In many, the common defence mechanisms of flight, fight, or freeze go up the moment they start getting feedback. Team members perceive these signals and realise that feedback is not welcome. In crushing feedback, not only do leaders fail to encourage a culture of constructive criticism leading to collective growth and efficiency, but as leaders, they are the poorer for it.

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Newspaper Article

Authors:

Venkatesh, Sudheesh

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