HOW TO MAKE FEEDBACK EFFECTIVE
10. Don’t leave them low
This is particularly important after giving Productive feedback.
As I said earlier, this isn’t an attack on the person; it’s about job- related behaviour. A team member should come out of a Productive feedback session with their sense of self-worth intact.
After you’ve coached them and agreed what action they’re going to take, you might want to say, ‘Okay Joanne, thank you for your time, I’m going to get myself a cup of coffee, can I get you one?’, or, ‘I hope you enjoy your trip to the theatre tonight, it sounds like a great show.’
You’re getting the message across that ‘I’m not angry with you. I have nothing against you personally. I just need you to behave in a manner that meets the necessities of the job.’ (Of course, you’re not using these words!)
Forget the sandwich technique
Many managers have been told to use the ‘sandwich technique’
when giving Productive feedback and coaching their people. Let me give you an example: ‘Fred, I’m really pleased with how you’ve been progressing since you joined us and you’re doing a great job. However, you’re not dealing with enough customers and we’re missing our call targets. I’d like you to tighten up on this. Anyway, thanks for all you’ve done so far and keep up the good work.’
Have you ever said something along these lines? You probably needed Fred to increase the number of calls he made but you didn’t want to upset or demoralise him. The only problem is that Fred may not get the message. The importance of it may be seri- ously diluted. He may hear it as, ‘Fred, you’re doing a brilliant job, you just need to do a few more calls but it’s not that impor- tant.’ What happens then is that Fred continues to fail with his number of calls.
The ‘sandwich’ technique doesn’t work. It lets you off the hook and it’s mealy mouthed. Be direct with your people and they’ll respect you
more for it. You’re also much more likely to get the change in behaviour you require.
If you’re unhappy with some aspect of a team member’s per- formance then you need to tell them so and coach them if required. The skill is in doing it in a way that is effective and doesn’t lower the morale of the individual. If you follow the ten points listed above then you’re much more likely to get the changes you need without lowering morale and without raising your level of stress.
Up as well as down
So far we’ve been looking at feedback and coaching for your team members. The reason we’re doing this is:
1 To reinforce behaviour and motivate your people (Confirming feedback);
2 To change behaviour that will stop you achieving your out- comes (Productive feedback).
Your goal is to give feedback that motivates or at least doesn’t demo- tivate your team. You also want to minimise your levels of stress.
However, there are other people who will affect your ability to achieve your outcomes and may have a negative effect on your levels of stress – your colleagues and your boss (particularly your boss).
As well as dealing with your team every day you also have to deal with people in other departments, often senior to you. I’m also pretty sure that your boss figures pretty much in your life. These people also need feedback, both Confirming and Productive.
Be direct with your people and they’ll respect you more for it.
Your goal is to give feedback that motivates or at least doesn’t
demotivate your team.
Next time you’re dealing with a colleague in another department and they give you some good service, use the feedback rules above. Say something like, ‘I liked the way you sent that informa- tion within the time you promised – thank you for that Mary.’ I think you’ll find that it improves your chances of receiving simi- lar service in the future.
And don’t be afraid to give your colleagues some Productive feedback if they’re not behaving as you’d like them to; again, use the rules above. I’m always hearing managers complain that their boss behaves in a way that gives them problems, stops them achieving outcomes and stresses them out. However, these man- agers fail to communicate their concerns to their boss.
There’s still a culture in many organisations that doesn’t allow the boss to be challenged. It’s a case of the boss tells me what to do and it’s my job to do what I’m told. It’s also the case that man- agers don’t want to say anything to their boss for fear of being perceived as negative or a whinger.
Why not try giving your boss some Confirming feedback? The occasional compliment or descriptive thank you will work won- ders on your relationship. And if the boss is doing or saying something you’re not happy with, give her some Productive feed- back using the rules above. If you follow these rules, then you’re much less likely to be seen as a whinger.