Upward feedback only works when the person above you actually wants to hear it. Ours just wants to hear that everything is fine and if you say something that challenges that state, you're labeled a problem.
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@a4 a million %, no one likes constructive feedback.. so how do we improve? Oh wait.. haha hence the hole we’ve dug ourselves and the cycle continues.
This is the way.
We have 7 layers of leadership. Your feedback is not actionable because it directly conflicts with my boss' boss' boss' boneheaded clueless daydreams. All it does is put a target on MY back for the next layoff.
If you have feedback tell me in person. Don't stab me in the back.
@OP Once you speak up, you are perceived as a risk to the company. Why do toxic employees often remain, thrive, and even get promoted, while high-performing, ethical employees struggle to advance or are eventually pushed out?
The difference is - the risk. Employees who understand internal dynamics and stay quiet rarely create friction for leadership. They know how to navigate the system and how to exert pressure on others without escalating issues.
In contrast, those who are sidelined, overlooked for opportunities and good projects, or treated unfairly are more likely to speak up. But by doing so, they can be labeled as high risk, because they challenge the status quo.
When it comes to layoffs, those seen as safe or favored are retained, while those viewed as disruptive are more likely to be let go.
How is a company of this size being run so poorly, how hard is it to listen, think about the problem, and then iterate on a solution in a productive way that involves all layers including the IC's?
call me crazy, but this really doesn't seem that hard to fix
I stopped engaging withe the engagement survey a few years ago after my constructive feedback was publicly read by the leader who received it and ridiculed because it was critical of her agenda. I had been passionate about providing feedback and getting involved with initiatives to improve my teams experience and eventually some of these metrics. My enthusiasm died when I realized leadership was simply going with the motions and ignoring every single suggestion that was presented to them.
The fact reorgs/layoffs happen so frequently means that no one has to answer for failed strategy.
You make a decision today, the impact shows up 3 years from now. By then, you’re already in a new role or laid off.
No one has to sleep in the beds they make. So they damn sure don’t want to hear any negative feedback. It will be swept under the rug because there’s no other incentive to do anything else.
This is the truth about Nike. People don’t want to hear about problems or issues. That’s why we are in the situation we are in. Problems need to be solved not pretend everything is awesome.