Leadership Skill Development:
American Idol, Success & Feedback

My own leadership skill development story about the power of feedback:

I’m about to “go on.” The assessors/judges are in the back of the room looking ready and kind of bored.

I try to ignore the fact that they're there to judge me as I remind myself that I’m ready. My stomach’s clenched. I try to relax by breathing deeply and by talking to myself. “This is no big deal. I’m ready. I do this all the time. I’ve practiced. I know what I’m doing.” Breathe.

My assessors give me the nod and tell me to start. I step to the front and address the group,

“Thank you for being here today. I’m excited about what we’re going to accomplish...”

My 30-minute sample facilitation for certification as a professional facilitator goes by in a blink. I’m relieved. It’s done. Now it’s time for feedback from the judges. See how I rated my assessors on the must-have feedback behaviors, here.

Wow, it’s like my own version of American Idol, but for facilitators and consultants.

After the process is complete – I’m happy to be awarded the “title” of Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF). But it’s not the CPF title that thrills me, mostly I feel proud of my willingness to voluntarily open myself to 'being judged' - and I've grown tremendously in skill as a result.

Our progress and growth as human beings and leaders is accelerated by feedback. Feedback is crucial for effective leadership skill development.

It's reminds me of American Idol contestants. (Love that show; watch it every week!)

Country singer Kellie Pickler was a contestant years ago. She came back as a guest to perform. This time she waltzed onto the stage like a seasoned pro – emanating confidence, talent and ability. She acted she'd been performing her whole life! It was quite a transformation.

Just a couple years ago she was in Albemarle, Alabama serving hamburgers and hot dogs on roller skates at the local fast food joint. Her father was in jail, she lived with her grandfather and I’m not sure she’d ever been out of the state.

How does someone go from fast food waitress to opening act for Rascal Flats confidently performing on American Idol in front of 31+ million viewers in two short years?

While I know the big Hollywood machine is at play – the key reasons these young performers excel so quickly are:

1. Intense practice
2. Ongoing and regular feedback

Practice and feedback are crucial to expansion and growth and leadership skill development.

But there's a problem.

Most of us are not comfortable giving or receiving feedback. We're either too nice (like former American Idol judge Paula Abdul) offering only encouragement that comes across as fluffy and vague.

Or we do the exact opposite: we’re too direct and we get focused on what's wrong (like American Idol judge Simon Cowell). The feedback recipient feels stung and insecure. The focus turns to trying to please the person giving feedback instead of on improving their performance.

Both extremes are hard on people. If feedback helps people improve, and it does, we must get better at giving it and receiving it.

You can improve feedback needed for effective leadership skill development by using online surveys.

Here are some of the types of surveys you can use:

• Organizational/climate
• Team effectiveness
• Team Development
• 360 Feedback Readiness
• 360 Feedback
• Pre- and Post-training programs for leadership skill development
• Customer satisfaction

Use these steps to get the most bang for your buck and time when using surveys for feedback:

1. Communicate in Advance: Explain why the survey is being conducted.

   Share why it’s important to the organization, the department, the team and the individual or entity receiving the feedback. (If you can’t effectively share the “why” in all of these areas you’re not ready to conduct a survey).

   Explain how the information will be used and who will be seeing the results.

2. Process Tips: Use survey that that assures anonymity to all. In your 360 feedback leadership skill development process make sure you have 3-5 raters for each category.
3. Train People on How to Give Good Feedback: Provide instruction to all raters on how to give helpful feedback.(This is great leadership skill development for everyone!)
4. Share the Results: Make sure that the people reviewing the results know how to give effective feedback. They should model the behaviors found in our must-have behaviors list.

Be sure to share an overview of the final results to all the raters. The raters took the time to give feedback; they deserve to know the results and will be resentful if not kept in the loop.

5. Do Something With the Data: Get raters involved in helping close the leadership skill development gaps revealed in the survey and let them know what areas are being focused on for improvement. Ask them to share their observations when they see progress or when things are not improving.
6. Culture: Make feedback a part of your leadership skill development culture - get and give feedback often, formally and informally.

Why feedback is crucial to leadership skill development: “The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be the person who knows how to ask.” Peter Drucker.

Must-Have Behaviors for Effective Feedback

My assessors for my facilitation certification did not demonstrate many of the must-have behaviors, below. They could have used additional leadership skill development on this area!

Perhaps they felt as though they needed to be ‘extra tough’ on all of us. Perhaps they’re just like many of us struggling with their role as assessor, judge, coach and mentor.

They took the 'Simon Cowell approach' which made the process much more stressful and challenging. (*Note: PBC = Person being coached)

1. Demonstrate that you care
2. Do not hold feedback sessions when you are tired, irritable, cranky and/or stressed-out.
3. Tune into the person in front of you – eliminate distractions such as: cell phone, computer, people coming in and out.
4. Listen Aggressively Definition: To hear with determination and energetic pursuit, demonstrating a desire to understand.

5. Use these physical behaviors: lean forward, good eye contact, don’t interrupt, ask questions.
6. Cultivate and share a positive belief in yourself and the PBC*
7. Use 3:1 sharing ratio (3 positive insights, to every 1 course correction) – as defined by Gallup Organization.
8. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS ask the PBC* his/her opinion or thoughts first… Example. “Suzie what do you think you did well? What would you improve?”
9. Good question Format to Use: WWCD: What happened? Why? Consequences - what would you do differently? Determine what action to take.

10. Address behaviors, not personality Eliminate emotional statements, such as “You always”, “You never”
11. Ask PBC* to review next steps with you. Schedule a time for follow up.

John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Benefit from the power of feedback for excellent leadership skill development – share it, receive it, grow and expand. Leadership skill development is enhanced with surveys because they teach strong habits of feedback and communication.

You never know maybe you and your organization could be featured as the most profitable and progressive model of business success and leadership skill development for all others in your industry...

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