There is a moment in every leader’s life when someone we are expected to lead looks us in the eye, and tells us something we didn’t ask to hear. A moment when feedback flows upward. Not politely packaged. Not summoned by surveys. Just… offered.
It can feel like an interruption. Even a betrayal of the unspoken order that says “you lead, I follow.” But what if it is a gift?
It is a test of trust, not performance.
You see, leadership is not a role we play. It is a relationship we shape.
And every time someone takes the risk to be honest with you, you shape that relationship. You teach them, quietly but unmistakably, whether truth is safe here; whether vulnerability is strength or sacrifice.
“What do I want this moment to mean for the relationship?”
Because in the end, your reaction to feedback is your feedback about the kind of leader you are and the kind of culture you make possible.
How do you react?
Please contact Andrew here if you would like to discuss how you may go further in this topic through Coaching.