Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2023 - 13

BUILDING
LEADERS
SAM SHRIVER &
MARSHALL GOLDSMITH
FEEDBACK? OR FEEDFORWARD?
Years ago, the CEO of an industry-leading
pharmaceutical company made a passing
comment that wound up sending shock
waves down the ranks: " I have never
really cared for the term 'feedback.' "
The dominos that statement set in motion
were predictable, dysfunctional and (as
long as you weren't in the middle of
the mess associated with the response)
comical: " OK, everybody in learning and
development (L&D), this just in! The CEO
hates the term 'feedback!' We need to
find out how many times it appears in
our offerings and identify alternatives. "
FEEDFORWARD IS A
POSITIVE AND UPBEAT
EXCHANGE THAT IS
MULTIDIRECTIONAL.
The first phase of that directive was
completed expeditiously. And the
results were overwhelming. The term
" feedback " appeared tens of thousands
of times. Every course that had anything
to do with leadership or change or
performance management or trust
featured " feedback " as the straw stirring
those drinks. As the data made its way up
the L&D chain of command " Operation
Identify Alternatives " went quickly and
quietly away.
Of course, the term " feedback " remains
ubiquitous. It is not only tied to the terms
already mentioned but also perceived
as the driving force of transparency,
authenticity and truth. Despite all of this
- and in a clear effort to perhaps swim
upstream on the topic - consider the
possibility that our CEO friend may have
been onto something.
The term " feedback " has been with us
since the 1920s. It originated as technical
lingo in electrical science and was adopted
in the 1940s to describe how well - or
how poorly - someone was performing
a task. In a world where communication
and decision-making flowed from the
top of an organization downward,
feedback became the glue that kept the
hierarchy together.
An unintended consequence associated
with feedback is the general manner in
which it is perceived. When somebody
wants to give you some feedback, what
is the first thing that jumps into your
head? Many of us brace for " a growth
opportunity " that (like it or not) will initiate
with the critique of something that has
already happened that we are powerless
to go back and fix.
Another undeniable reality connected to
feedback is the emphasis on ensuring
people know how to provide it and the
assumption that those on the receiving
end know how to accept it. With the
benefit of hindsight, doesn't that almost
seem backward? It seems like receiving
and translating that input into actionable
strategies deserves at least equal time.
WHAT IS FEEDFORWARD?
Enter " feedforward! " Feedforward
is a concept that Marshall brought
to us a decade or so ago. With bias
duly noted, it's a lot like feedback -
only better! First and foremost, it is a
positive and upbeat exchange that
is multidirectional (i.e., flows down,
laterally and up). There are two roles
in feedforward:
* Learn as much as you can!
* Help as much as you can!
There are two rules for providing and
receiving feedforward:
Don't talk about the past: Since
we can't change what has already
happened, let's put our energy and
focus where we can indeed have
an impact.
Don't judge or critique suggestions:
Treat whatever suggestions or
ideas you hear as gifts (simply say,
" Thank you! " ).
It has been our experience that leaders
who actively solicit and thoughtfully
provide feedforward, build teams and
cultivate cultures that inherently have
their eyes on the windshield and the
horizon in front of them instead of
whatever happens to be going on in
their rearview mirrors.
Marshall Goldsmith is the world authority
in helping successful leaders get even
better. Sam Shriver is the executive vice
president at The Center for Leadership
Studies. Email Marshall and Sam.
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