Bob Brennan, president and C.E.O. of Iron Mountain, believes that defensiveness is destructive. He feels that managers are too often guided by a ‘command and control’ style of leadership, which may work well for specific outcomes, but hurts a manager in the long run.
Without the openness to ask for constructive feedback, even in the form of criticism, managers propagate a status gap between them and their teams. Brennan suggests that leaders consistently ‘give constructive feedback, never destructive. And managers need to seek constructive feedback themselves.’
They should be asking ‘What do you recommend we do?’ to keep on eye on who is open-minded, and who is thinking about moving the company forward. They key for Brennan is an open environment that promotes collaboration with clear expectations and the ability to give and receive constructive feedback.