Book review of 'No More Feedback' by Carol Sanford

This book makes my top 21 recommended business books because it is a very well argued case against the very common and defended practice of feedback.

For many years now I have called feedback the least most valuable of conversation and communication tools.

I personally only value feedback when it comes from people I trust and when I have asked for it.

Carol Sanford goes a lot further saying and demonstrating why feedback is actually a toxic practice that comes from a machine rather than human standpoint.

I love Carol's book and the many practices it suggests. In particular I loved the idea of self-governance, what I call compete with yourself, as a way forward to greater accountability and purpose driven organisations.

Carol suggests self-governance comes from the development of three core capacities. These are pictured below along with Carol's explanation of each one.

"Locus of control
…the degree to which we experience and exercise control over our own lives, particularly on direction of our self-development and our resilience to adversity.

Scope of considering
… what we take into account in our actions and endeavours, especially in relation to other people and living beings.

Source of agency
… where we find authority for our initiative or actions. The more we are able to direct ourselves, the better our capability to connect to larger systems and help actualise them."

I highly recommend the development of the above as part of your ongoing work.

Who will you become?

What will you do next?

Be remarkable.
Ian