Rethinking Feedback: The Underestimated Art of Effective Evaluation

„From Criticism to Clarity – Feedback enhances self-awareness, not just evaluation.“

The Rethinking Impulse as a RethinkAudio – Listen. Reflect. Analyze. Advance.

Misconceptions, Misinterpretations, and Toxic Mindsets Surrounding Feedback

Feedback is widely acknowledged as a cornerstone of leadership. Yet, in practice, it is frequently distorted, misunderstood, or even dreaded. Many leaders believe that feedback inevitably leads to conflict, as it is predominantly associated with criticism. Others hold the mistaken belief that it is superfluous, assuming that high performers inherently know whether they are excelling or not. Another prevalent fallacy is that feedback is an unproductive disruption that hampers workflow. Perhaps most problematic is the toxic mindset that regards feedback as a hierarchical instrument of control – where superiors assert their authority over subordinates rather than fostering mutual growth.

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Rethinking: Courage – Why Leaders Must Cultivate a New Perspective on Bravery

„Rethink courage: from impulse to intelligent action.“

The Rethinking Impulse as a RethinkAudio – Listen. Reflect. Analyze. Advance.

What it’s all about

Courage is a term frequently overused, romanticised, or misrepresented in leadership discourse. It is often mistaken for sheer audacity, conflated with reckless bravado, or reduced to an unwavering hardness. The prevailing narrative portrays the courageous leader as one who confronts risk with unflinching resolve, makes unilateral decisions, recoils from no confrontation, and betrays no sign of vulnerability. In many executive spheres, courage is celebrated as a virtue of fearlessness, an emblem of unwavering self-confidence, and an indisputable marker of a leader’s capacity to impose their will in the face of adversity.

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Rethinking: The VIA Model – Why Leaders Must Redefine the Meaning of Virtue in Action

„From Idealism to Leadership Realism.“

The Rethinking Impulse as a RethinkAudio – Listen. Reflect. Analyze. Advance.

What it’s all about

For decades, leadership discourse has been saturated with terminology, models and frameworks, many of which have taken root in the minds of leaders without ever being subjected to deeper scrutiny. Some of these concepts have proven to be of enduring relevance, while others have ossified into unchallenged dogma, entirely detached from the true complexities of leadership and self-governance. The VIA model serves as a prime example of such intellectual drift. Originally conceived as a framework for the cultivation of character strengths, it has in many organisations been reduced to little more than a decorative tool – ensnared in a web of misconceptions, misinterpretations, and toxic mental shortcuts.

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The Rethinking Leader Tuesday Insight: Do hierarchies still belong in future-ready leadership?

„The future doesn’t need leaders who sit at the top. It needs leaders who build platforms where others rise.“

Extended Reflection:

For generations, leadership was defined by position — the higher you stood in the organizational chart, the more power you held. Decisions flowed downward, and influence came from title and rank.

But the world has changed. Today’s fast-moving, hyper-connected environments need leaders who enable flow, not control it. Innovation comes from the edges of organizations, not the center. Collaboration happens across silos, not within them. And leadership itself is no longer a title — it’s a behavior.

Future-ready leadership requires a platform mindset: Instead of

  • guarding information, you open access.
  • issuing orders, you ask better questions.
  • demanding loyalty, you build trust.

In this mindset, leadership is about creating the conditions where people can lead themselves and each other — not just waiting for the boss to decide. It’s not about abandoning leadership, but redefining it as empowerment.

The real question for every modern leader is:

Are you still thinking like a boss — or already acting like a platform?

Rethink it – Action Prompt:

Today, ask yourself: „How often do your team members feel empowered to make decisions without waiting for you?“

True leadership is not about how much control you have — but how much control you can give away without losing impact.

„Reflect. Rethink. Lead.“

Rethinking: PERMA-Lead – Why Leadership Requires a Radical Shift in Perspective

„Engaged teams outperform managed ones.“

The Rethinking Impulse as a RethinkAudio – Listen. Reflect. Analyze. Advance.

Leadership has evolved significantly over the past decades, yet one paradigm stubbornly persists: the belief that leadership is primarily about control, setting targets, and incentivising performance. PERMA-Lead, a concept derived from Martin Seligman’s PERMA model of well-being, is often misinterpreted as a soft, almost therapeutic leadership approach designed merely to create a pleasant work environment. However, this perception constitutes one of the greatest misunderstandings surrounding PERMA-Lead – and underscores the urgent necessity for a profound rethinking.

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