Leadership Feedback Template

The best leaders actively seek feedback. This template helps you gather honest, constructive feedback to improve your leadership.

Why Leadership Feedback Matters

With Regular Feedback:

• Identify blind spots
• Understand your impact
• Improve continuously
• Build trust
• Show humility
• Become better leader

Without Feedback:

• Blind to weaknesses
• Don't know your impact
• Repeat mistakes
• Trust erodes
• Appear arrogant
• Stagnate as leader

When to Seek Feedback

Regular Schedule

Quarterly:

• Formal feedback from all members
• Structured questions
• Written and/or verbal
• Time to reflect and respond

After Major Events:

• After tour
• After recording
• After conflict
• After big decision
• After significant change

When You Sense Issues:

• Tension in band
• Decreased engagement
• Resistance to your leadership
• Feeling stuck
• Unsure of your effectiveness

How to Ask for Feedback

Creating Safety

Why safety matters:

• People won't be honest if they don't feel safe
• Fear of consequences silences feedback
• Need psychological safety

How to create safety:

• Explain why you're asking
• Emphasize you want honesty
• Promise no negative consequences
• Consider anonymous option
• Respond non-defensively
• Thank them for honesty
• Act on feedback

The Ask

Script:

"I want to be the best leader I can be for this band, and I need your help. I'd like your honest feedback on my leadership—what's working, what's not, and what I could do better. This isn't about making me feel good; it's about helping me improve. There are no wrong answers, and I promise to listen with an open mind and not get defensive. Will you help me by sharing your honest perspective?"

Tone:

• Humble
• Genuine
• Open
• Non-defensive
• Appreciative

Leadership Feedback Form

Instructions for Feedback Giver

Please be:

• Honest and direct
• Specific with examples
• Constructive (not just critical)
• Balanced (strengths and areas for growth)
• Focused on behavior (not personality)

Your feedback will:

• Be kept confidential (unless anonymous)
• Be used to improve leadership
• Be appreciated, not punished
• Make a real difference

Part 1: Overall Leadership

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate my overall leadership?

Rating: ___/10

Why this rating?

2. What are my top 3 leadership strengths?

Examples:

3. What are my top 3 areas for improvement?

Examples:

Part 2: Specific Leadership Areas

Rate each area (1-5 scale):

• 1 = Needs significant improvement
• 2 = Needs some improvement
• 3 = Adequate
• 4 = Good
• 5 = Excellent

Vision & Direction

How well do I:

• Provide clear direction? ___/5
• Communicate our vision? ___/5
• Keep us focused on goals? ___/5

Comments:

Decision-Making

How well do I:

• Make timely decisions? ___/5
• Gather input before deciding? ___/5
• Explain my decisions? ___/5

Comments:

Communication

How well do I:

• Communicate clearly? ___/5
• Listen to others? ___/5
• Create space for dialogue? ___/5

Comments:

Conflict Management

How well do I:

• Address conflicts promptly? ___/5
• Handle conflicts fairly? ___/5
• Help resolve issues? ___/5

Comments:

People Development

How well do I:

• Support your growth? ___/5
• Give helpful feedback? ___/5
• Recognize contributions? ___/5

Comments:

Accountability

How well do I:

• Hold myself accountable? ___/5
• Hold others accountable? ___/5
• Follow through on commitments? ___/5

Comments:

Emotional Intelligence

How well do I:

• Manage my emotions? ___/5
• Understand others' feelings? ___/5
• Build relationships? ___/5

Comments:

Execution

How well do I:

• Turn plans into action? ___/5
• Drive results? ___/5
• Remove obstacles? ___/5

Comments:

Part 3: Specific Behaviors

What should I START doing?

What should I STOP doing?

What should I CONTINUE doing?

Part 4: Impact

How does my leadership positively impact you?

How does my leadership negatively impact you?

How does my leadership impact the band overall?

Part 5: Specific Situations

Think of a time when my leadership was particularly effective. What did I do?

Think of a time when my leadership was ineffective. What happened?

What could I have done differently?

Part 6: Open Feedback

What else should I know about my leadership?

What questions should I be asking that I'm not?

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Processing Feedback

Step 1: Receive Without Defending

When receiving feedback:

• Listen fully
• Don't interrupt
• Don't explain or justify
• Don't get defensive
• Ask clarifying questions only
• Thank them sincerely

Phrases to use:

• "Tell me more about that"
• "Can you give me an example?"
• "Help me understand"
• "What would that look like?"
• "Thank you for being honest"

Phrases to avoid:

• "But I..."
• "That's because..."
• "You don't understand..."
• "That's not fair..."
• "Let me explain..."

Step 2: Reflect

After receiving feedback:

Look for patterns:

• What did multiple people say?
• What themes emerge?
• What surprises you?
• What confirms what you suspected?

Separate signal from noise:

• What feedback resonates as true?
• What feels off or unfair?
• What's about you vs. about them?
• What's actionable?

Consider your reactions:

• What feedback is hard to hear?
• What makes you defensive?
• Why does it bother you?
• What might that reveal?

Step 3: Synthesize

Create feedback summary:

Key Strengths:

Priority Development Areas:

Specific Actions to Take:

Questions to Explore:

Step 4: Respond

Share back with band:

Template:

"Thank you for the feedback. Here's what I heard:

Strengths you identified:Summary

Areas for improvement:Summary

What I'm going to work on:Specific actions

What I need from you:Support needed

I really appreciate your honesty. This helps me be a better leader for this band. Please keep the feedback coming."

Step 5: Act

Create action plan:

Priority 1: _______________

• Specific actions: _______________
• Timeline: _______________
• How I'll measure: _______________

Priority 2: _______________

• Specific actions: _______________
• Timeline: _______________
• How I'll measure: _______________

Priority 3: _______________

• Specific actions: _______________
• Timeline: _______________
• How I'll measure: _______________

Step 6: Follow Up

30 days later:

• Share progress
• Ask for feedback on changes
• Adjust approach as needed

90 days later:

• Formal check-in
• Assess improvement
• Identify next areas

Feedback Best Practices

1. Ask Regularly

Why: One-time feedback isn't enough

How: Quarterly formal feedback, ongoing informal

2. Make It Safe

Why: Fear prevents honesty

How: Promise no consequences, respond non-defensively

3. Be Specific

Why: Vague feedback isn't actionable

How: Ask for examples and specifics

4. Listen Without Defending

Why: Defensiveness shuts down feedback

How: Just listen, thank them, reflect later

5. Look for Patterns

Why: One person's opinion may not be representative

How: Gather from multiple sources, identify themes

6. Act on Feedback

Why: Asking without acting destroys trust

How: Create action plan, share progress, follow through

7. Close the Loop

Why: Shows you heard and valued feedback

How: Share what you heard and what you're doing

Common Feedback Challenges

Challenge 1: No One Will Be Honest

Why: Don't feel safe

Solution:

• Build trust over time
• Consider anonymous option
• Respond well to small feedback first
• Show you can handle criticism

Challenge 2: Feedback Feels Unfair

Why: May not match your self-perception

Solution:

• Remember: perception is reality for them
• Look for kernel of truth
• Ask others if they see it too
• Don't dismiss immediately

Challenge 3: Conflicting Feedback

Why: Different people have different perspectives

Solution:

• Both can be true
• Context matters
• Look for underlying themes
• Decide what resonates

Challenge 4: Overwhelming Amount

Why: Lots to work on

Solution:

• Prioritize top 2-3 areas
• Can't fix everything at once
• Focus on highest impact
• Revisit others later

Key Takeaways

1. Seek feedback regularly - Don't wait for problems
2. Make it safe - No honesty without safety
3. Listen without defending - Just receive it
4. Look for patterns - Multiple sources reveal truth
5. Act on feedback - Asking without acting destroys trust
6. Close the loop - Share what you heard and what you're doing
7. Be patient - Change takes time

The best leaders actively seek feedback and act on it. Use this template to continuously improve your leadership.