Do You Want to Keep Me as CEO?

Over the last three months, did I get better at this job or worse? Why?

Phillip Rosedale, founder of Linden Labs, challenges every CEO to ask their employees these direct questions—every quarter.

Rosedale put this into practice during his tenure as CEO, using anonymous surveys to gather unfiltered feedback. The results? Reduced friction, improved communication, and a more cohesive workplace.

In an interview with Kevin Rose, Rosedale explained how this process worked. Here’s a breakdown, along with his insights from Executive Careers:

“The beauty of the survey lies in its simplicity.”

Rosedale didn’t stop at collecting responses; he shared the answers to the first two questions with everyone at Linden Labs. Transparency was key. As Rosedale notes:

“You can argue with a mentor, but you can’t argue with the crowd. When every third person says, ‘You’re scattered,’ it’s the truth.”

Tough? Yes. But this kind of honesty builds trust and strengthens leadership.

The Fear of Honest Feedback

If you’re a CEO or senior executive, most people won’t offer you unvarnished feedback—they’re worried about negative repercussions.

One way to encourage honesty is to probe gently. For example, after receiving praise, ask:

“I appreciate that you thought the presentation was great, but if there’s one thing I could improve—even a small thing—what would it be?”

This simple follow-up invites actionable feedback while showing you value growth.

Guidelines for Giving Feedback

In my group programs, we follow these principles to foster constructive, respectful feedback:

1.Say what you know to be true—don’t offer false praise. (Inspired by Paul Grice’s  four Maxims of  Conversation.

2.Avoid words like “criticism,” “negative,” or “wrong.”

3.Use phrasing such as “I liked… I suggest…” to keep feedback balanced.

4.If you have no feedback, say nothing.

5.Deliver feedback with an encouraging tone.

Own the Conversation

Implementation Idea

As a CEO or senior executive, ask yourself:

•Do I have the courage to receive unfiltered feedback about my leadership?

•Am I willing to share that feedback openly with my team?

If the answers are yes, set up a system to regularly ask your employees these questions:

Do you want to keep e as CEO?

Over the last three months, did I get better at this job or worse? Why?

It might feel uncomfortable, but it’s a bold step toward becoming a more effective leader.