How to Prepare Leaders for Their First Reverse Evaluation (RE)
The first Reverse Evaluation is not a meeting. It is a mirror. It shows leaders who they are when truth walks in the room. That’s why preparation matters more than logistics. You can schedule the date, design the forms, and brief the representatives — but if leaders aren’t emotionally and cognitively ready to receive truth, the process will fail before it begins. Here’s how to prepare them. 1. Begin with the purpose, not the procedure. Leaders must understand that the RE is not a referendum on their worth. It is a mechanism for organizational learning. Frame it as a collective diagnostic , not a personal critique. The goal is not to expose weakness but to strengthen the system that supports everyone. When leaders grasp that the RE is about shared success , defensiveness softens. 2. Normalize discomfort. Receiving upward feedback in public is unsettling — even for seasoned leaders. Tell them that discomfort is not failure; it is evidence of growth. The RE is designed to stretch th...