FAST COMPANY: How can you create a company culture of teamwork by giving difficult feedback?
KIM JORDAN: I think it's really important to start by remembering that this can be a loving act and when done skillfully people feel appreciative that you took the time to have a difficult conversation. I think it's important to remember that real relationships have difficult parts to them, and I think when you think about 'how will I feel if I didn't give the feedback and later things get worse' it's pretty easy to decide that giving difficult feedback is really doing someone a great favor.
How can you create a company culture of teamwork by giving difficult feedback?
Kim Jordan is cofounder of New Belgium Brewing Company which began in 1991. In New Belgium’s early days, Kim performed many of the usual duties of an entrepreneur in a start-up brewery: packaging, cleaning, sales and delivery, marketing, and human resource development to name a few. Nearly 20 years later, Kim is CEO and president of New Belgium and is still actively involved particularly in Sales, Branding and Organizational Development. Much of her time is spent on mid-range and long-term company strategy development. She is currently a Member of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper’s Renewable Energy Authority Board, Vice Chair of the 1% for the Planet Board, Director on the Brewers Association Board and Ex Officio Board Member for the Beer Institute. She remains involved in a few Fort Collins community Boards as well.
