When it comes to giving leadership feedback, how often do we ask ourselves: Am I making this better or just making it different?
This gem of a question came from a recent client conversation, and I had to share.
I love the distinction because sure, we all have our own ideas. We can all make things different. And yes, maybe we personally would prefer them, but is it actually going to make the project meaningfully better?
That impulse to jump in and edit or revise your team’s work—not because it’s wrong, but because it’s not exactly how you would have done it is natural. But it can inadvertently slow down progress and undermine your team’s confidence.
The smarter approach? Before weighing in, pause and ask:
Will this feedback meaningfully improve the result?
Or am I just inserting my voice for preference’s sake?
If it’s the former, by all means, offer your input—especially if it will enhance clarity or help gain buy-in from key stakeholders. But just to get your voice in there so that you make sure that your fingerprint is on it is not a good use of your time, and furthermore, it’s incredibly disempowering for your team.
This one small shift in your feedback approach can free your time and strengthen team ownership. And that’s a win-win in any leadership role.
