How to Give Feedback That Lands | Renee St Jacques | TED

Summary

Renee St Jacques, a psychologist and executive coach, introduces the "Leadership Activated" framework, built on three key skills: connect, correct, and cultivate. This framework aims to enhance emotional intelligence in leadership, fostering trust, guiding behavior, and promoting growth within teams. St Jacques argues that emotional intelligence is crucial for profitability and team performance, emphasizing that effective leadership stems from valuing people and their contributions beyond just their output.

Highlights

Emotional Intelligence: The Cornerstone of Impactful Leadership00:09:56

St Jacques concludes by reiterating that connect, correct, and cultivate act like a tripod; neglecting any one aspect weakens overall leadership. She stresses that emotional intelligence is not 'fluff' but the greatest strategy for achieving results, as high performance is rooted in making teams feel seen, heard, and valued. She encourages leaders to be 'cycle breakers,' leaving a legacy defined by connection and meaningful impact.

Correct: Balancing Clarity and Kindness in Feedback00:06:28

The second C, 'correct,' emphasizes giving clear and kind guidance. St Jacques advises against 'hinting' and instead advocates for specific feedback about behavior, not the person. She suggests using 'and' instead of 'but' and 'we' instead of 'you' to foster a collaborative approach to improvement, ensuring feedback is empowering rather than shaming.

The Problem with Feedback Sandwiches00:00:04

Renee St Jacques recounts an experience where a manager used the 'feedback sandwich' technique (praise, criticism, praise), leading to an employee having false expectations about a promotion. This resulted in burnout for the manager, a breakdown of trust for the employee, and unachieved organizational goals, highlighting the damaging impact of low emotional intelligence (EQ) in leadership.

The 'Leadership Activated' Framework: Connect, Correct, Cultivate00:02:42

St Jacques introduces her 'Leadership Activated' framework, comprising three key skills: connect, correct, and cultivate. This research-backed approach is designed to help leaders build trust, guide behavior, and foster growth within their teams, moving beyond the individual contributor mindset to leading through people.

Connect: The Foundation of Psychological Safety00:03:09

The first C, 'connect,' is vital for unlocking high performance by creating psychological safety. This allows individuals to communicate without fear and feel valued. Connection separates work from worth, focusing on valuing people for who they are, not just what they do, and involves curiosity, open-ended questions, and active listening to uncover root issues.

Cultivate: Ongoing Coaching for Leadership Potential00:09:00

The third C, 'cultivate,' highlights the importance of ongoing coaching, comparing it to nurturing a garden. This involves providing real-time, informal, and frequent feedback, and asking open-ended questions to empower teams and foster a culture of ownership, rather than waiting for annual reviews.