Keeping Pace with Modern Feedback and Leadership Development

In today's fast-changing business world, how we handle feedback and leadership development can determine an organization's success. As a leader in HR, Talent Planning, or Leadership Development, you help your organization grow. The most valuable asset of any organization is its people.

Here's an important question to think about: Are you changing how you do things based on new research? Or are you still using old methods that might be causing more harm than good?

The Broken State of Traditional Feedback

Let's start with a sobering statistic: Research by Kluger and DeNisi (1996) found that nearly 40% of feedback interventions actually lead to decreased performance. That's right—in many cases, our well-intentioned efforts to provide feedback are backfiring spectacularly.

Why is this happening? Traditional feedback approaches often suffer from several critical flaws:

• An overemphasis on weaknesses and deficits
• Lack of context and specificity
• Failure to engage the broader social system
• Insufficient follow-through and support

These issues stem from outdated assumptions about how people learn and grow. For decades, we've operated under the belief that identifying and fixing weaknesses is the key to improvement. However, recent advances in positive psychology and neuroscience paint a very different picture.

Advances in Research: A New Understanding of Human Development

Several key insights from recent research are reshaping our understanding of effective feedback and development. These modern feedback techniques include:

Strengths-Based Approaches
Studies show that focusing on strengths leads to significantly higher engagement and performance. Buckingham and Goodall, in their provocative Harvard Business Review article "The Feedback Fallacy," argue that excellence is highly individualized and that we grow most in our areas of strength, not weakness.

The Power of Positive Emotions
Barbara Fredrickson's "Broaden and Build" theory demonstrates how positive emotions expand our cognitive resources and enhance creativity, resilience, and problem-solving abilities.

Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck's work on mindset reveals the importance of viewing abilities as malleable rather than fixed, fostering a love of learning and resilience in the face of challenges.

Social Support and Learning
Research increasingly shows that learning and behavior change happen most effectively within supportive social networks, not in isolation.

Feedback Receptivity
Adam Grant's research emphasizes the importance of how feedback is delivered. He suggests explaining the 'why' behind feedback, taking yourself off a pedestal, asking if people want feedback, and engaging in dialogue rather than monologue.

The Shift Positive Approach: Leading the Way in Leadership Development

At Change Positive, we've developed the Shift Positive^® method to align with these scientific advances and create a more effective approach to feedback and leadership development. Here's how our approach addresses the shortcomings of traditional methods:

Strengths-First Focus
We begin by identifying and leveraging an individual's unique strengths, creating a foundation of confidence and engagement.

Solution-Focused Feedback
Rather than dwelling on problems, we help stakeholders articulate specific, desired behaviors that would enhance effectiveness.

Engaging the Social System
We transform stakeholders into allies, creating a network of support for ongoing development.

Transparency and Context
Our approach eliminates anonymous feedback, providing the crucial context needed for meaningful growth.

Emphasis on Energy and Motivation
We consider how a leader's energy impacts their team and tap into intrinsic motivations for change.

Transforming Organizational Culture Through a Pyramid of Offerings

Change Positive offers a comprehensive suite of tools and services to help organizations reimagine their approach to feedback and development:

Shift Positive 360^®
Our flagship offering provides a strengths-based, solution-focused alternative to traditional 360-degree feedback assessments.

Shift Positive Live
A facilitated group feedback session that creates immediate impact and alignment.

Shift Positive Applied
Training for managers to incorporate Shift Positive principles into their day-to-day leadership.

Shift Positive Team
A powerful approach to enhance team dynamics and performance.

Shift Positive 360AI (SP360AI)
A self-administered, AI-supported platform designed specifically for the development of rising leaders.

Shift Positive Empowered
An AI-powered platform to scale the Shift Positive approach across entire organizations.

Harnessing the Power of AI for Cultural Transformation

The introduction of SP360AI and Shift Positive Empowered marks an exciting new frontier in feedback and development. By integrating AI in leadership through our methodology, we're able to:

• Scale personalized, high-quality feedback across large organizations
• Provide real-time coaching on constructive feedback techniques
• Analyze patterns and trends to inform broader talent development strategies
• Create a consistent, strengths-based language throughout the organization

This AI-powered approach allows organizations to create a true culture of continuous feedback and development, where every interaction becomes an opportunity for growth and engagement.

Case Studies: Transforming Feedback Culture in Leading Organizations

To illustrate the power of this comprehensive approach, consider these real-world examples:

Case Study 1: Fortune 1000 Medical Device Company

A Business Unit Leadership Team of 10 leaders needed to "re-boot" with a new General Manager coming onboard - the third in two years. Some leaders had never even been in the same room together due to Covid and international travel restrictions.

The Shift Positive 360 method was employed, involving interviews with all 10 leaders about every other leader. The process focused on strengths, solution-focused feedback, and creating allies for each leader's development.

Results:

• Every leader chose to continue with their coach to action their development plan
• Leaders reported monthly wins and progress on their growth areas
• Ally support reinforced the progress they noticed in each other
• The GM commented that the approach was "profound" and completely unique
• Leaders can now deliver direct, constructive, and supportive feedback to every team member

Case Study 2: Fortune 50 Tech Company

A large tech company created a new leader development program for 24 high-potential diverse leaders. The Shift Positive Live method was used as part of this comprehensive development program.

Results:

• Within three months, 44% of participants were promoted
• 93% agreed or strongly agreed that the program made a significant impact on their leadership development
• The Shift Positive Live portion was rated as the most impactful, scoring 6.48 on a 7-point scale
• Participants reported immediate improvements in relationships and ability to act on feedback

The Future of Feedback and Leadership Development

As we look to the future, it's clear that organizations that embrace these scientific advances and innovative approaches will have a significant competitive advantage in attracting, developing, and retaining top talent.

The Shift Positive method, enhanced by AI technology through offerings like SP360AI, offers a path to create the kind of feedback culture that today's workforce craves—one that is supportive, growth-oriented, and aligned with our deepest understanding of human motivation and development.

For HR, Talent Planning, and Leadership Development professionals, the question is no longer whether to change our approach to feedback and development, but how quickly we can implement these transformative methods. The research is clear, the tools are available, and the potential impact on your organization is immense.

Are you ready to reimagine feedback and leadership development in your organization? The future of work demands nothing less.