Receiving and Interpreting Feedback

Core is intended to be a co-created experience between members and Guides. Guides should frequently create space to gather feedback about their facilitation style, group communication preferences and styles, group/member dynamic, and content/topic priorities. 

By building frequent feedback opportunities into the Core experience, Guides will be able to deliver Core meetings that meet member needs as they evolve.

Feedback Channels

Core Meeting Member Feedback Survey (CSAT)

The Core CSAT survey is used to measure meeting-specific member sentiment. Members are asked to share feedback around a number of key factors at the end of each meeting, ensuring Chief and Guides can address areas for improvement in real time. 

Member CSAT provides Guides with a benchmark with which to understand member sentiment and a guiding principle to make adjustments for future meetings. At Chief, we value both the qualitative and quantitative feedback, recognizing nuance and varying needs of every situation and member. Generally speaking, 4s & 5s indicate high satisfaction and perceived value and 1s & 2s indicate dissatisfaction. Scores of 3 are neutral. 

Here are some tips for receiving and acting on member feedback:

  1. Separate urgency from insight
    Senior executives often communicate with speed and intensity. Distinguish the core message from the pressure or urgency driving its delivery.

  2. Treat individual comments as directional data
    Executive feedback is often high-level and situational. Look for recurring themes across time or engagements before drawing conclusions or making significant changes.

  3. Read feedback through the enterprise context
    Feedback frequently reflects board dynamics, transformation demands, stakeholder tension, or organizational uncertainty—not dissatisfaction with coaching.

  4. Listen for the underlying executive need
    Behind executive feedback is usually a need for clarity, sharper challenge, faster progress, or strategic perspective. Identify the need before deciding how to respond.

  5. Respond with judgment, not reflex
    Balance responsiveness with professional coaching judgment. Use feedback to calibrate goals, pace, or focus—while maintaining an appropriate level of challenge.

Member Surveys

Chief sends surveys out to members at various milestones during their membership. Most commonly, members will receive a check-in survey at months 3, 6, 9, 12 of the first year of their Chief membership, and then at the mid-point of their membership for each subsequent year.

Members are prompted to provide feedback on their satisfaction with Chief, the services they participate in, and the value they receive from their membership. Based on their membership type, they are also prompted to share feedback on specific service offerings (in-person events, Executive Coaching, and/or Core).

Beginning August 2024, if members participate in Core they will be asked to share additional feedback on their Guide - specifically on the following topics:

  • My Guide identifies themes that help our group engage in deeper, more focused group conversations

  • My Guide makes it easy to engage in Core meetings

  • My Core Guide creates an inclusive environment

  • My Guide shares Chief events, resources, and/or other community engagement related to themes we discuss in Core

This feedback is shared with Guides via email each time a member completes their survey.

In-the-moment feedback: Core Candor

Core Candor can be accessed in the Meeting Content Library and includes several short feedback exercises that Guides can use to facilitate feedback within their Core meetings. Regular feedback should be integrated within the Core experience, so Guides are encouraged to use this resource or other similar feedback activities often.

Concierge Team

Chief’s Concierge team is available to assist any members with questions, concerns, or feedback that members have. If a member would like to connect with the Concierge team, they can do so by sending an email to concierge@chief.com or by selecting “Contact Us” on the Help and Support page in Chief.com.

Common Member Feedback Themes

Below are the most common categories of constructive feedback we hear from members about their Core experience and Guides:

  • Balancing personal and professional

    • “It became like therapy sessions for the members and not at all leadership development or talking about the tough issues we face as women in leadership.”

    • “We stopped 30 minutes short and the exercise was ok but no real meat in it. More of a self reflection than something that can really help me grow as a leader.”

  • Agenda, meeting structure, and time management

    • “Didn't keep to time. Allowed some people to speak for 35 mins which meant others didn't get a chance to speak.”

    • “Sometimes the meetings are too flowy with no goal/structure”

  • Inclusive facilitation

    • “One individual was overlooked and dismissed. Several times she was forgotten to let share and the group had to speak up. Towards the end she tried to speak and was interrupted then the meeting ended without letting her share.”

    • “The meeting topic made me feel a bit of an outsider. Our coach did an excellent job trying to make me feel less so, but the entire time I was reminded of not being a wife or a mom, and that was painful.”

  • Command of the room

    • “[Guide] does not walk through exercises and conversations confidently.”

    • “Guide is not keeping group engaged, moving forward, or energized.”