𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀

Lena* is the founder of EcoCycle, a budding tech startup revolutionizing waste management through innovative recycling solutions using only natural ingredients. Her passion for environmental sustainability ignited during college studying environmental engineering.

Before founding EcoCycle, she worked with several green technology startups. Throughout college and her early career, Lena regularly sought feedback about her ideas and work and received valuable advice.

As a founder, Lena noticed her company lacked open communication and feedback. Although she remained receptive to input, team members felt uncomfortable sharing their thoughts, something that had come more naturally as a student and an employee.

After consulting with six founders at startups around her size, Lena implemented a multi-channel feedback system. She began conducting quarterly anonymous surveys through SurveyMonkey, giving team members a safe space to voice their thoughts. In regular meetings, she would discuss the survey feedback openly, explaining which changes she planned to implement and why certain suggestions couldn't be acted upon immediately. She maintained an authentic enthusiasm that demonstrated how much she valued their input.

Lena also established one-on-one meetings with each team member, creating dedicated time for discussing both their ideas and professional development goals. This dual focus showed that these conversations were meant to benefit everyone involved.

Over the next year, team members grew more comfortable sharing ideas, and Lena could address concerns before they became problems. When surveys highlighted specific needs, such as additional technology training, she responded swiftly by organizing workshops and forming mentorships around specific software. She even addressed concerns directly when an incorrect acquisition rumor prompted questions about her exit strategy.

These changes led to significant improvements at EcoCycle, including higher employee satisfaction and retention. The company's performance flourished, launching several industry-recognized projects, including one inspired by an employee who had been with the company for just two months.

Why Seek Feedback?

One of the most effective strategies for growth and success is embracing the power of feedback. Feedback is crucial for identifying blind spots, improving leadership, and enhancing overall business performance.

Introverted founders can effectively seek and give feedback to foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth.

“Generally speaking, no matter what you're trying to do,

you need feedback to identify exactly where

and how you're falling short.”

– K. Anders Ericsson

Seeking feedback helps a leader develop by recognizing areas of weakness and deciding how to address them. It also promotes retention and collaboration among team members, as meaningful work is often more motivating than financial rewards alone.

Also, useful feedback can significantly improve execution and help prevent substantial mistakes. Sometimes, it’s the new employee who looks at how something has been done for three years and questions the process—and by now, the process should have evolved, so their input is valuable.

However, founders might hesitate due to fear of criticism or logistical challenges. In my experience, the latter is typically a cover for the former. As you’ll see, it’s not that difficult to ask for feedback. However, it can be really difficult.

“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth

because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche

I worked as the CFO at a startup for three years. The most nervous I ever felt at that job was right before sending out an anonymous feedback survey about myself. Even though I emphasized that I only wanted constructive opinions to help me develop, I feared people would use the opportunity to insult me or reveal some hard truth I'd never recognized.

Instead, along with positive feedback, I received constructive suggestions about ways to meet their needs, including requests for more information about our equity plan and personal financial planning. In response to the financial planning feedback, I arranged for an expert to speak with employees. Those who attended were very grateful, and I would have never known about this need without asking.

How to Seek Feedback

1) Start Simple

Begin with simple surveys to gather initial insights. Three effective questions to ask are:

• From 1-7, how likely are you to recommend our company to clients or job seekers?

• What do you like about our company?

• What could be improved about our company?

By keeping the questions quick, you will easily have time to ask them, and any response you get may open up a deeper conversation. With the first question, you establish a baseline. With later surveys, the goal is to do the same (if already high) or better.

These surveys should be conducted regularly, every three to six months, to keep a regular cadence. Allow employees to suggest additional questions to ensure the surveys remain relevant and engaging. Consider adding/replacing one new question each quarter while keeping the survey brief.

2) Add More Feedback Methods

Complement surveys with other feedback channels:

• One-on-One Meetings. Instead of your regular weekly/biweekly meetings, at least once a quarter, dedicate that meeting to solicit feedback.

• Team Meetings. Encourage open discussions during team gatherings. Instead of asking, “What can I do better?” consider the less direct question, “What can the company be doing better?” to generate responses.

• Performance Reviews. Incorporate feedback into performance evaluations. When people are asked their opinion on the company, team, and manager, there is a greater sense of ownership. (Note: These questions may be asked separately from the employee’s review but captured at the same time.)

• 360-Degree Evaluations. These are similar to the above, but they expand the purview of inputs. Often, they are done only for the leadership team and include direct reports, colleagues, and other employees who engage with the leaders.

• Digital Suggestion Box. Allow anonymous feedback to encourage honesty. Set the expectation that you want constructive feedback about workplace behaviors.

Acknowledging Feedback

Responding to feedback is just as crucial as seeking it. Address all input you receive, even when you can't implement every suggestion.

By responding to employee feedback, you demonstrate a growth mindset and show that learning is valued across the organization. Ignoring suggestions, however, discourages people from sharing future input. While not every piece of feedback needs to be implemented, all of it should be acknowledged through email or company meetings.

Be transparent about which changes you're making and which ideas aren't feasible right now. Most ideas are good, however, they may not work at your startup at this time. I guarantee you that any idea shared through feedback has also already circulated around others, so it's better to address ideas directly rather than hoping they'll fade away.

Sources of Feedback

Introverted founders can gather valuable insights from various sources:

Leadership Team. Foster open dialogue through thoughtful questions by asking:

• "How can I support you better?"

• What would make our meetings more productive?"

• "What's the best way to get honest feedback from you?"

Overall Team. When meeting with the entire team, use broad questions to spark discussion:

• "If you could change one thing right now, what would it be?"

• "Who deserves more recognition for their work?"

• "How could we improve our efficiency and delivery?"

Investors. Do your best to choose investors strategically who will tell you what you need to hear, because their candid, direct feedback will help you develop as a leader. When evaluating investors, ask:

• "What is the toughest feedback you ever gave a founder?”

• "What circumstances will prompt you to give feedback?”

• “What is an example of bad feedback you gave to a founder?”

Customers. Engage with customers regularly to improve products, identify upsell opportunities, and boost retention. Understanding their needs reveals growth opportunities. While surveys are helpful, B2B companies should hold quarterly conversations with decision-makers. B2C companies should conduct focus groups or customer interviews with a random sample of users.

You can ask them:

• "How does our product/service improve your business?”

• “What could be better about the product/service we’re offering?”

• “Where do you see your role/business in six months?”

Peers. Learn from founders who've faced similar challenges. Connect with those who are ahead in their journey or your industry. Ask about specific challenges:

• "How did you handle a high-performing but disruptive employee?"

• "What's your top lesson about getting useful feedback?"

• "What three priorities should we focus on this quarter?"

Truly listening requires confidence. You need to resist the urge to be defensive and focus on drawing out all of the information, not just the first reaction.

"When people stop giving you feedback, start to worry."

– Amanda Pouchot

Deftly asking the right questions to the right people can reveal crucial insights for improving your leadership and company.

Giving Feedback

Providing effective feedback is crucial for team growth and trust. Most startup employees want to perform meaningful work and grow quickly in their roles. By giving them thoughtful feedback, you nurture these motivations. Effective feedback also helps align employees with company goals, ensuring their hard work moves the organization forward.

Feedback should focus on helping individuals develop rather than criticizing them. Follow these key principles for giving feedback:

Be Candid and Constructive. Address issues while offering support for improvement. Before giving feedback, ensure you can articulate how it will help that person improve in their role. Constructive feedback always has a clear purpose.

Consider the Specific Person. Tailor feedback based on the context and individual's needs. As the founder, remember that most people will be hesitant to receive criticism from you. Focus on their accomplishments and potential growth alongside direct feedback. Remember that people process information differently—while some prefer verbal discussions, others may need written feedback.

Set Yourself as the Example. Before giving feedback, demonstrate how you've implemented feedback yourself and how those changes benefited you or the company. People will take your feedback seriously when they see you acting on the principles you advocate.

Recognize the Interaction. Sometimes, people act based on what they believe their manager wants. When giving feedback, be open to acknowledging that expectations might not have been clear or may have evolved—especially in a rapidly growing startup. This approach leads to more productive discussions than immediately focusing on problems.

When delivering tough feedback, support the person afterward through follow-up meetings, regular check-ins, and encouragement of their progress. While some people may initially interpret feedback as a sign of getting fired, consistently returning with ideas and support demonstrates that you're invested in their growth.

“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish

a man's growth without destroying his roots."

– Frank A. Clark

I faced a delicate situation at two different companies—having to tell colleagues their body odor was distracting others. During the first incident, I felt too uncomfortable to address it directly. Instead, I asked their manager to intervene, which backfired completely. The person felt attacked, and I felt terrible about how it was handled.

The second time this issue arose, I handled it differently. I scheduled a private meeting, acknowledged the sensitivity, addressed the concern directly, and offered brief, constructive feedback. The situation resolved smoothly, and there seemed to be no bad feelings.

Key Takeaway: By seeking feedback from diverse sources and giving constructive feedback, founders can foster a culture of continuous improvement, enhance leadership, and drive business success. Feedback is a two-way street that requires courage, confidence, and openness to truly benefit from its potential.

How Can I Keep Learning? Choose one group to gather feedback from (such as the leadership team, customers, or investors). Prepare 3–5 focused questions, then schedule a meeting with them within the next two weeks.

---------------------------------

* The story of Lena is a fictional account inspired by various people and situations I've encountered over the years, created to provide another perspective on this topic.

90% of startups fail. Build Scale Grow solves problems for fast-growing startups, specializing in Social Impact, EdTech, and Health Tech and focusing on Introverted Founders.

I wrote this post with AI editing. Photo by Volodymyr Melnyk who can be found here:

RESOURCES

Our free weekly newsletter, “Leadership Tips for Startup Founders,” offers concise insights on leadership with different experts each week.

Scale: Reach Your Peak lets leaders learn the best methods and practical solutions to scale in just five minutes. Choose from among 130+ topics.

Turn your introversion into a strength with The Introverted Founder’s Toolkit. Unlock your full potential as a founder with this 5-day free email course.