Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions
Providing feedback on employee performance is how you help people in your team to:
Understand your expectations,
Let them know when it’s a job well done,
How they can continue to improve.
We work on lots of recruitment assignments, some of which involve replacing a senior executive who is not meeting expectations. This person is either “squeezed out” of the organisation or moved to another role elsewhere. Sometimes, particularly with people who have been in the organisation for a while, it’s clear to us that the person has not received clear and constructive feedback on their performance, i.e. this responsibility is avoided by the line manager, its deemed too sensitive or too difficult.
Why is Feedback Important?
Feedback comes in all forms, whether it is intentional or unintentional. Providing effective feedback to your employees is critical. By ensuring that you are positive in what you say, you are offering a way to develop the individual’s character and ability.
What can you do to provide Impactful Feedback?
Never be vague, always be specific when you give feedback. Advise the person on what they are doing well and also where they need to improve. Stick to the facts.
Be action-focused with your feedback. When you share some information or specific observations on their previous behaviour/action it is so they can act on it and adjust for the next opportunity. Ensure that the feedback is something they can accomplish.
Have you ever asked the employee…” what didn’t go so well?” or “what went well in this project?” This is critical before you provide your own feedback to the matter. To fully understand what occurred in the project and whether it was an individual’s choice or team’s choice.
Be timely when you provide feedback. The closer to the event/project the better, so the employee can connect action with feedback with a clearer mind. It is best while the individual still has everything fresh in their minds. Feedback come be formal, informal or a simple conversation. Don’t treat it like a performance review but rather part of an employees continuous development.
Take Home Message:
Feedback is all about providing the employee with valuable input. You should approach it from a positive perspective, where you seek to improve the behaviours and actions. Ensure you fully understand the situation before you make any comments about the process and decisions the employee has made. Be timely, you don’t want to do it too late because they would have already forgotten what occurred. It shouldn’t be too early as they haven’t had the chance to fully explore their options. Information is giving out; Communication is getting through.
Do you give Impactful feedback to your fellow colleagues?
