Sheila Heen Quotes & Sayings

There are three kinds of feedback and organizations must utilize all three to be effective:
1. Evaluation. This rates you against standards and peers. It lets you know where you stand.
2. Coaching. This information helps you get better and learn. It is an engine for learning.
3. Appreciation. Most desire for feedback is usually for appreciation. It motivates us. — Sheila Heen

We swim in an ocean of feedback. — Sheila Heen

The five C's of expanding your capacity.
1. Build your confidence.
2. Expand your connections.
3. Improve your competence.
4. Strengthen your character. If character is not strengthening your capacity is weakening. We need to check our leadership for leaks.
5. Increase your commitment. — Sheila Heen

Evaluation and coaching get tangled together. When this occurs, the noise of evaluation drowns out coaching efforts. Think of this like a term paper. When you get your assignment grade back (evaluation) you tend to tune out the professor notes in the margins (coaching) if the grade is higher or lower than expected. — Sheila Heen

The fastest way to change the feedback culture in an organization is for the leaders to become better receivers. — Sheila Heen

Other people have all kinds of information about you that is invisible to you. How do you get feedback? — Sheila Heen

Learning to receive feedback from each other is what leadership is all about. — Sheila Heen

We each have two human needs: To learn and grow & to be respected, accepted and loved the way you are. Even though feedback facilitates learning and growth, it conflicts with our need to feel respected. This is a key reason we resist feedback. — Sheila Heen

People won't give you feedback until they think you actually want it. — Sheila Heen