Nestlé CEO: Candid Feedback Is Key to Leadership

Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil has shared insights into his leadership style, particularly highlighting the challenging yet essential skill of delivering feedback. Navratil, who joined the global food and drink giant in 2001 and assumed the CEO role last year, admitted that providing candid feedback was not something that came naturally to him earlier in his career.

The company's success, which includes numerous well-known brands such as Gerber and KitKat, necessitates continuous improvement and performance enhancement. Navratil stated that he realized early on the need to give direct feedback to his direct reports to facilitate their development and improve their performance. This realization led to a shift in his management approach.

"It’s easy to tell someone ‘Great job, well done,’ but that doesn’t help them grow," Navratil remarked in a recent report. He believes a leader’s role is to provide clear, constructive feedback that helps employees understand where they need to improve. This, he contends, is integral to leadership.

Navratil now views providing feedback as a fundamental aspect of a leader's responsibilities. He believes that consistent and honest communication is crucial for both individual growth and the sustained success of the organization within the competitive global food industry.