Elevarse Performance Consulting

Want a proven way to boost your creativity? Ask your team for criticism.

It may sound counterintuitive, but fascinating research in the Harvard Business Review a few years ago found that negative feedback from subordinates can make managers more creative. A study at a Korean health-food company showed that after receiving critical feedback from their employees, managers’ creativity scores rose by an average of about 9%.

Why does this happen? The power dynamic.

• Criticism from a boss or peer can feel threatening, triggering anxiety about your future or a sense of competition.
• However, when feedback comes from a subordinate—someone who doesn’t control your salary or promotions—it feels less like a threat and more like an opportunity to focus on improving your performance.

This effect isn’t about being “thick-skinned”; the research found no correlation with a manager’s age or tenure. Effective leadership requires a growth mindset and the psychological safety for honest dialogue to flow in all directions. By creating a culture that encourages bottom-up feedback, you not only empower your team but also directly fuel your own innovative potential.

How are you creating channels for your team to give you candid feedback?

#LeadershipDevelopment #Creativity #Feedback #TeamManagement #Innovation

https://hbr.org/2020/03/a-subordinates-criticism-makes-you-more-creative