Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] If you think giving more feedback is the key to improving your team's performance, you're not alone. But that belief, well, it might be the very reason your business isn't growing. Because here's the truth. The single biggest thing you can do to build a feedback culture isn't giving more feedback, it's asking for it. You're listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it. The business growth podcast for small business owners and SME leaders who want to scale, lift team performance and Sharpen leadership without 60 hour weeks.
[00:00:33] G'. Day. I'm Brendan Rogers and thanks for joining me today. I want to flip a leadership belief that quietly holds back so many SME owners that giving feedback is what drives performance.
[00:00:46] It sounds right, it feels right, but it's incomplete. The truth is, a feedback culture doesn't start with giving more feedback.
[00:00:56] It starts when you ask for it. And when you do, everything changes. Your people start trusting you more, your team performance lifts and your business growth begins to accelerate. Not because you're pushing harder, but because you're leading smarter.
[00:01:12] So in this episode, I'm going to show you why asking for feedback is the single biggest thing you can do to build a genuine feedback culture and how it can transform the way you lead and grow your business.
[00:01:24] Now, so many SME owners that I coach tell me, brendan, I want my team to be more open to give honest feedback and to take feedback better.
[00:01:34] But the truth is, most leaders only focus on giving feedback. They rarely focus on receiving it. And that's the problem, because when you're not asking for feedback, you're sending a quiet message to your team. Feedback flows one way and that's down.
[00:01:51] That message kills trust. It shuts down honest communication, and it keeps you stuck in a cycle where people tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to hear.
[00:02:02] A real feedback culture doesn't start with more feedback outward. It starts with feedback inward. When you ask for feedback genuinely, you flip the power dynamic. You show your team that you're not above improvement.
[00:02:17] You create safety. You lead with humility and confidence, not control.
[00:02:23] And that's how you create a leadership culture where everyone feels safe to grow. And that's what turns a good team into a great team.
[00:02:32] Now, I remember working with a business owner who struggled with this exact thing. He told me, brendan, my team just don't open up. They never tell me what's really going on.
[00:02:43] So I challenged him to end every single one on one with one simple question.
[00:02:48] What's one thing I can do that would make working with me easier now. He laughed and said, they'll never answer it. And two weeks later he gave me an update. In our coaching call, he said, brendan, I can't believe it. One of my team members told me I interrupt too quickly when they're explaining an idea and I never realized it. He thanked them, changed his approach, and within a few weeks more people started sharing their thoughts. The walls came down, the team started trusting him and performance lifted fast.
[00:03:22] And that's the power of asking. It's simple, but it's leadership gold.
[00:03:30] So here are three takeaways I want you to remember from today's episode. The first one, ask for feedback. First, if you want a feedback culture, it starts with you model the behaviour you want to see.
[00:03:44] Second, keep it simple. You don't need a system or a survey. Just ask one question.
[00:03:51] What's one thing I could do better?
[00:03:54] Or what's one thing I can do differently to support you?
[00:03:58] And third, respond with gratitude, not defensiveness. When people see you value their honesty, they'll keep sharing it. And that's how trust compounds and team performance grows.
[00:04:11] So if you want your team to grow, they need feedback. But if you want your culture to grow, you need to go first. The more you ask for feedback, the more your team will ask you. The more you improve, the more they'll improve. And that's leadership. It's not about having all the answers, it's about creating an environment where everyone's learning together.
[00:04:33] So here's your challenge this week. Before your next one on one or team meeting, ask one person, what's one thing I can do to be a better leader for you?
[00:04:43] Then listen. And really listen. You'll be amazed what happens next. You've been listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it. The Business Growth podcast designed to help SME owners become confident high impact leaders who build self managing teams. If you found this episode valuable, make sure you follow the show. Because each week this leadership podcast helps you sharpen your mindset, improve team performance and accelerate your business growth.
[00:05:12] And if you're ready to dive in and become a high impact Leader, go to LeaderByDesign Au Hil and I'll see you in the club. Grow yourself, grow your team, grow your business and and go lead with impact.
[00:05:31] SME business owners and senior leaders tired of 60 hour weeks while cash flow crawls? Break free with my free 60 minute training the 5 habit method to boost cash flow without 60 hour weeks learn leadership habits that lift revenue energize your team and let you clock off by five. You'll also see how the High Impact Leader membership delivers ongoing coaching and accountability and plug and play systems to elevate your career and company. Grab your seat at LeaderByDesign AU Impact.
