How to Give Feedback to a Busy Executive (Without the PowerPoint)
Let’s be honest: PowerPoints won’t change behavior. Especially not for an executive running at 120 MPH, juggling board decks, headcount questions, and the existential future of the business.
If you need to deliver feedback to someone at the top - feedback they may not want to hear, but need to - you can’t treat it like a standard coaching conversation. You have to get strategic. Surgical, even.
Because the higher up someone goes, the less honest feedback they tend to receive. Not because people don't notice the gaps, but because they don't feel safe (or invited) to say the hard thing out loud.
The Real Risk of Silence
Research from Zenger Folkman shows that 69% of managers say they're uncomfortable communicating with employees—especially when it comes to giving feedback. But what happens when the person on the receiving end is your CEO or SVP?
The stakes feel even higher. The power gap grows. And the temptation to sugarcoat—or stay silent entirely—takes over.
But here’s the thing: cultures aren’t built by perfect leaders. They’re built by leaders who are willing to grow. And growth starts with truth.
So, if you’ve got feedback to give, and you know it matters, here’s how to make it land without getting tuned out.
1. Start with signal, not static.
Busy execs don’t have time to decode a 15-minute preamble. Open with clarity and relevance: “Can I share something I’ve noticed that I think could unlock more trust across your team?”
No sugar. No smoke. Just signal.
2. Frame it as care, not correction.
High-level leaders are used to flattery or judgment. Rarely do they get real support. So reframe the conversation around your shared goals: “This isn’t about nitpicking. I want to help you lead in a way that feels as intentional on the inside as it looks from the outside.”
This makes your feedback feel like a partnership—not a takedown.
💡 According to Harvard Business Review, leaders who are perceived as open to feedback are rated more effective by both peers and direct reports. This isn’t fluff—it’s foundational.
3. Lead with what’s working. Then point to the gap.
You’re not softening the blow… you’re building trust. Then highlight the tension between intention and impact: “You’ve built a culture that values innovation. But when people bring bold ideas, they feel dismissed or shut down. The gap isn’t in your values, it’s in how they show up day-to-day.”
This kind of framing invites reflection, not resistance.
4. Ask, don’t assume.
Even leaders who value feedback get defensive when they feel attacked. Asking reflective questions helps them own their insight: “How do you think your team experiences you when you're under pressure?”
You’re not accusing. You’re inviting them into curiosity. (And curiosity, as Brene Brown reminds us, is the antidote to defensiveness.)
5. Stay close to truth and tone.
Deliver the real message, but don’t weaponize it. Use clean, confident language that speaks to impact, not identity: “Your intensity drives results. But in some rooms, it shuts down dialogue. What would it look like to flex that differently when trust is the goal?”
Stick to behavior. Tie it to outcomes. Leave space for evolution.
Bonus: Leave the door open.
If they’re not ready to hear it, don’t force it. Say your piece, and let it breathe: “You don’t have to respond now, but I hope you’ll sit with it. If it lands differently later, I’m here.”
Good feedback isn’t always immediately appreciated. But if it’s delivered with respect and clarity, it often finds its way back when the timing is right.
Final Thought
Great leaders don’t just ask for feedback. They model how to receive it. So when you offer that mirror, make sure it’s clean, steady, and built on trust.
If you want feedback to become a cultural norm, not just a crisis intervention, start where it matters most: with leadership.
