Help Senior Executives Hear Feedback by Tying It to What They Care About

Nobody likes to be criticized — especially high-status individuals. However, if you can use feedback to help a leader achieve their personal goals, they will listen. The most effective way to do this is to tap into their motives and values. For example, executives who are driven by recognition care a great deal about their reputation. Telling them that they are seen as less capable than they think they are will probably mobilize them. Or, when leaders are driven by power, you can appeal to them by linking the feedback to their performance and career progression: “If you change X and Y, you will be able to outperform your competitors and make it to the top.” In contrast, when dealing with altruistic leaders, your best strategy for delivering negative feedback is to convey that “by changing X and Y, you will be able to harness your team’s potential and improve their engagement and well-being.”

Source: HBR