Want to Become a Better Product Leader? Simple Tips for Requesting Feedback
This post is a continuation of my recently launched series on managing up for individual contributors (ICs). In that series, we explored how IC-level product managers can effectively manage up to their leaders. You can find the full series here.
Now, we’re shifting our focus to the leaders themselves—the people the IC-level PMs would manage up to. If you have a role like Head of Product, VP of Product, or Director of Product and you’d like to empower your direct reports to give you better feedback, this article is for you.
Inspired by stories shared on LinkedIn, this post explores the importance of encouraging upward feedback and provides practical prompts for product leaders to solicit meaningful input from your direct reports.
Why upward feedback matters
In many organizations, the flow of feedback is predominantly from the top down. Managers provide feedback to their teams, but rarely receive it in return. This imbalance can create blind spots and hinder personal and professional growth. Encouraging upward feedback not only helps you improve as a leader, but also fosters a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
As a leader, actively seeking feedback from your team demonstrates humility and a commitment to your own development. It can be challenging to break through the barriers of fear and hesitation that often prevent team members from sharing their honest opinions. However, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties.
Lessons from LinkedIn
Here are two powerful examples from LinkedIn posts that highlight the value of upward feedback and provide actionable questions to get you started:
1. The 10-10 Feedback Session
In a post on LinkedIn, Ankur Garg wrote that one of his managers set up a practice called "10-10s," where the first 10 minutes of a meeting were dedicated to giving feedback to the team member, and the remaining 10 minutes were for the team member to provide feedback to the manager. Initially, the feedback was minimal, but the manager pushed for more substantial input by asking two key questions:
What will it take to make your experience exceptional?
What are the areas I need to work on?
This approach not only made the team members feel valued, but also gave the manager critical insights into their leadership style.
2. The Feedback Email
Another leader shared his experience of asking for feedback through an email containing four simple questions:
What did I do that worked for you?
What did I do that did not work for you?
Is there any time/experience where I made you feel small/wrong?
What can I do differently to support you as a team to bring out the best in you?
Despite initial resistance, this practice opened up channels of communication and led to significant improvements in leadership effectiveness.
Additional feedback prompts
To further enrich your feedback sessions, consider adding these questions to your repertoire:
What specific actions or behaviors from me have positively impacted your work?
Are there any obstacles or challenges you face that you believe I can help remove?
These questions encourage team members to reflect on both the positive aspects and the areas needing improvement, providing a well-rounded perspective.
Tips for making feedback more effective
Here are some steps to effectively implement feedback mechanisms within your team:
Set the stage: Create a safe and non-judgmental environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Be consistent: Regularly schedule feedback sessions and stick to the routine.
Listen actively: Show genuine interest in the feedback and refrain from being defensive.
Act on feedback: Demonstrate that you value the input by making visible changes based on the feedback received.
Follow up: Keep the dialogue going by revisiting past feedback and discussing progress.
Final thoughts and further reading
Encouraging upward feedback is not just about improving as a leader; it's about building a culture of mutual respect and continuous growth. By implementing these feedback prompts and creating a receptive environment, you can enhance your leadership skills and foster a more engaged and productive team. And remember: When feedback flows both ways, you’re ensuring that you’re not only leading effectively but growing alongside your team.
If you’re looking for additional resources related to feedback, there’s an entire chapter on feedback in my book, STRONG Product People. I’d also highly recommend Julie Zhuo’s The Making of a Manager and Kim Scott’s Radical Candor.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to the LinkedIn users who shared their experiences and inspired this post: Ankur Garg and Manish Tribhuwan (who shared his wisdom in the comments to Ankur’s original post). Your insights have been invaluable in highlighting the importance of upward feedback.