When It Comes to Performance Issues, Know How to Give Feedback
Without neutral observation, effective feedback is nearly impossible, whether that feedback is aimed at a process, a group of people, or an individual. When using feedback to help people improve their processes or change behaviors, follow a few simple guidelines to make that feedback effective.
Acknowledge the need for feedback. People need feedback to improve, just as processes do. We receive feedback from our customers through market research and occasionally in the form of complaints. Additionally, we gather feedback from our processes through data and from our fellow employees via nonverbal communications, frustrations, or inquiries.
Give both positive and negative feedback. Feedback offers us not only recognition of our strengths, but also help for those areas where we can improve.
Understand the context of the feedback. Feedback is sometimes harder to receive than to give, so it's essential to understand what led up to the giving of feedback. When giving feedback, plan it carefully; pay attention to where it will occur and why.
Know when to offer feedback. As with all communication, the receiver must be in a position to hear it without defensiveness or anger. So pay attention to the timing and deliver the feedback within a context of listening to and caring about the group, the individual, and the process.
Most importantly, know how to give feedback:
• Be specific and descriptive.
• Describe specific behavior rather than using labels to categorize and generalize.
• Be honest and careful in your choice of words.
• Be caring and helpful.
• Beware of attributing motivation to someone’s or a group’s behavior.
• Speak only for yourself.
• Help people hear you.
Tips for Providing (and Training Employees) Effective Feedback
At Insight, we help our clients develop strong leadership skills. We discuss team building and collaboration, as well as leadership credibility.
We also discuss feedback and resolution—how to listen and how to engage in constructive conversations. Believe it or not, the feedback process is one that can make or break your organization’s ability to succeed.
The most important thing for a leader to keep in mind is that the approach to feedback is as important as the feedback itself because it establishes you as a trustworthy leader. Once you understand this, you can communicate your perspective more effectively in performance situations, gather high-quality feedback, and make informed improvements.
Be direct. Engage the employee.
The T.A.L.K. Method for Giving Feedback
Tell it like you see it. Ask for feedback. Lead toward a solution. Keep at it until it sticks.
Tell It Like You See It
To effectively communicate your assessment of an employee's performance, you must first clarify the issue for yourself. Start the conversation with your direct perception of how you see the situation, and be clear about what you feel is certain (e.g., what you have directly experienced) and what is uncertain (e.g., what others may feel). When you both view the situation in the same way, you can then develop a solution.
Things to Avoid When Giving Feedback
Once you’ve thought through the issue, consider a few key points before initiating the conversation. Do not give feedback if:
You have insufficient history with the person
You won’t be able to follow up after the feedback
The receiver is low in his or her reserve of self-esteem
You are low in your reserve of self-esteem
Your true intention is to demonstrate your own perceptiveness or authority
The time, place, or circumstances are inappropriate
Ask for Feedback
As you engage the employee in a dialogue, one of the best ways to clarify the issue is to ask the employee some open-ended questions that will help you better understand the situation from their perspective. In general, the more certain you are about the issue, the more you should use closed-ended questions; the less certain you are, the more you should ask open-ended questions to draw out facts and meaning.
Lead Toward a Solution
It’s imperative to have the employee help determine the solution to a performance problem. That said, it’s helpful to have a few options to suggest if the employee is unsure of how to fix the problem. To do that, look at some of the concerns you identified and identify possible solutions. Just remember that the employee needs to be a part of the decision as to which solution works best for them.
Keep At It Until It Sticks
Follow-through matters. The leading action managers can take to encourage employees to follow through is to follow through themselves by setting a follow-up meeting. The meeting shows the employee that you care and also provides them with a timeline of what is expected, fostering a sense of accountability.