When evaluating current management, or hiring new leadership, it is important to consider who is the right fit and how you will assess their performance. The chances of getting honest feedback from directly questioning them is unlikely, but by reaching out to their peers and direct reports you can gather a more solid idea of how your managers are performing.
This means your company needs to have transparency and trust. Similar to a 360-degree feedback process, build a feedback model to allow your company to gather better, more accurate information. It creates two positive employee interactions: employees are more willing to give constructive, real-time criticism and employees are more engaged and motivated because they feel they have a tangible impact within the company. It will also allow your company to effectively learn about your managers in ways that you might not notice or see everyday.
This is the fourth rule in my series of 10 Rules I’ve Learned and Live By to Motivate People and Organizations. The last rule I shared was to always be decisive but also flexible. You can read more about how that’s worked for me here.Rule #4 is based on an understanding that most senior executives manage UP very well. This makes it hard to discern how effective they are within the organization beyond the financial results (which are usually black and white). To better understand an executive’s overall performance, make sure to get feedback from the people who work with and for them.
