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Feedback Revolution: The Urgent Leadership Tool



Great leaders don’t just give feedback—they model it. In a culture where trust is eroding and conflict is feared, feedback may be one of the most urgent leadership tools we have. In a recent podcast episode of "The Leadership Crucible," Chief Randy Bruegman sits down with Margie Mauldin, bestselling author of Feedback Revolution and founder of Executive Forum, to unpack how feedback can shape culture, unlock growth, and define a leader's legacy.


A Bold Leap of Ownership


With over 30 years of experience coaching leaders, Margie Mauldin shared a personal crucible that shaped her career. When she first opened her business as a branch office, friction and communication issues with her partners led her to take a bold leap of ownership, securing an SBA loan to buy out the business. This decision put all the weight on her shoulders, but it was a turning point that felt right. She paid off the loan in less than a year and went on to build a thriving business. This experience taught her the power of ownership and the clarity that comes with being solely responsible for your success.


Feedback as a Gift


Margie's book, Feedback Revolution, centers on a core idea: feedback is a gift. The concept came from a trusted colleague who gave her some tough, but actionable, feedback that she could hear and use to improve. For Margie, effective feedback is always about "information for improvement." It’s forward-looking, not backward-looking, and it’s meant to help individuals and teams grow. She argues that everyone wants to get better and have opportunities to grow, and effective feedback provides the roadmap to do so.


Building a Culture of Growth


The podcast discussion highlights that annual performance reviews are important but should never be a surprise. Great leaders are constantly thinking about their team, what they need, and how they can be best utilized. Margie tells a story about a woman she coached, a water engineer who was not getting promoted [03:50]. By focusing on her assignments and what she could change, the woman was promoted within a year and went on to get promoted again, with her own direct reports also moving up. This story illustrates the "trickle-down impact" of investing in people and creating a culture of leading and learning.


Margie also emphasizes the importance of understanding the difference between a team member's motivation and their ability [14:15]. A lack of motivation might mean they are bored and need a bigger challenge, while a lack of ability points to a need for more training or skills development. Knowing the difference allows leaders to give feedback that is truly directed and useful.


The Two Biggest Enemies of Honest Communication


According to Margie, the two biggest things that get in the way of giving effective feedback are ego and time [31:50]. Leaders often put off difficult conversations, thinking they don't have the time or worrying about their own ego. However, as she points out, if you don't have the conversation now, you will have it later, and it will take longer and be much worse. Referencing her mentor, Stephen Covey, she likens this to a pot of spaghetti boiling over; a small act of "venting" or having an honest conversation can change the entire dynamic.


The Power of Mentorship and Legacy


Margie shares two powerful stories of mentorship that shaped her career. The first was with Stephen Covey, who mentored her throughout her career after a humorous and humbling incident where she spilled tomato juice on him [21:15]. He taught her the difference between being efficient and being effective. The second was with a woman named Kathy, who, instead of asking her to resign from a community board as Margie feared, instead saw her talent and encouraged her to use her skills in leadership and conflict resolution. This gave Margie a huge boost in confidence and taught her that good leaders look for opportunities to engage and open doors for others.


For Margie, legacy means creating a space in the community where she can help and support people, and building their capacity so they can go on to model what they've learned. Her greatest compliment is when someone is referred to her by a former client, a sign that her efforts have had a lasting and positive impact.


Meet Marjorie (Margie) Mauldin


Marjorie (Margie) Mauldin, Executive Forum’s owner and president, is an energetic and creative leader. In the past 30 years, Margie has earned the trust of the Denver business community as an entrepreneur and successful business owner.  She effectively manages Executive Forum’s global client list that includes a variety of compelling projects such as strategic planning for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado and Arizona state departments of transportation and iLoveFeedback® certification and training for IHS Markit, Pinal County (AZ), City & County of Denver, Arapahoe County (CO), Riverside County (CA), State of Michigan, University of Alberta (CAN), South Metro Fire Rescue Authority, City of Aurora, Department of the Army, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Parks Service and Comcast. Presentations include the 2014 Correctional Accreditation Manager’s Association, 2015 NeighborWorks Training Institute, 2016 ATD International Training Conference and Expo, 2017 International Brain Summit, the 2017 and 2018 Rocky Mountain Project Management Symposium, 2018 National Organization of Trusted Advisors and the 2019 Strategic Government Resources Servant Leadership Conference. 


Scheduled presentations include the 2019 Western Region IPMA-HR Annual Conference and the 2019 COSHRM State Conference.  Margie’s best-selling book, Feedback Revolution: Building Relationships & Boosting Results, now in its second printing, focuses on organizational culture, performance review systems, employee engagement, communication and accountability.


Podcast Episode Resources


 
 
 

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