The Art of Giving Effective Feedback
Providing feedback is essential when you are a manager or leader of a team or organization. Whether you are delivering this feedback for the benefit of yourself, your team, or for the other person is subjective, but, ultimately, high quality feedback is essential for everyone’s growth and development.
Both forms of feedback, negative and positive, allows the other person to see themselves in a different light, and provides insight that they were, most likely, unaware of.
Feedback allows you to support the other person in a way that he/she would not otherwise know either. And, knowing HOW to deliver feedback is essential for it to RESONATE correctly. You can’t really control what people say to you, but you can control how you are an effective leader and a trusted member of your team.
With this said, here are 6 effective tips on providing high quality feedback:
6 EFFECTIVE TOOLS ON GIVING FEEDBACK:
1. Feedback does not have to be negative. If you see someone doing a good job and providing high quality diligent work, communicate that to them. Be specific as to what they did a great job on too. This will be more clear to them so that they continue to do it in the future. Most importantly, this builds trust amongst your team and opens the door for future communication.
2. All feedback should be timely, as in asap. Deliver your feedback within 24-72 hours. Do not sit on positive or negative feedback. The more closely your feedback is delivered to the specific scenario, the more likely the feedback will resonate.
3. Cut the fat and be specific. The sandwich method works (positive feedback, mixed with negative feedback), but really you just need to GTTP – get to the point. When you are delivering feedback, be very specific as to what the issue is AND how the person can resolve it moving forward. It is irrelevant to deliver feedback without a solution or the “how-to” for next steps. Let them know what they need to work on PLUS how they can resolve the issue moving forward.
4. Feedback must be factual, not gestimated. Gestimated is a word that is made up, and it means GUEST + ESTIMATED put together. There is nothing worse than receiving feedback that is unclear, made up, or “heard through the grapevine” at work. When delivering feedback, make sure you have all of your facts straight.
5. Feedback is not awkward, unless you make it awkward. When delivering feedback, stay focused. You do not need to sugar coat the mistake or issue at point. Clearly outline the issue to the receiving person, and avoid beating around the bush.
6. Practice makes perfect. Recently, I had a client ask me if they could practice delivering feedback on a call with me. I think that is genius because this means a few things: this person delivering the feedback cares about the delivery, they want to be an effective leader , coach, & mentor to this person, AND they want to make sure the person receiving it resonates with the message.
>>>A lot of feedback tends to focus on only providing negative feedback too. Instead, I want to encourage you to take the lead on other feedback mechanisms, and enhance work-place culture by communicating and providing constructive, supportive, AND positive feedback more often.
EXAMPLES OF WHEN TO PROVIDE POSITIVE FEEDBACK
· When you get home from work, and you had a GREAT day. Recognize someone that helped you achieve this feeling.
· When meetings start and end on time.
· When someone does something unexpected or unprompted.
· When someone does a great job at executing their job responsibilities.
· When someone adds value on a project or in a meeting.
· When you see prior constructive or negative feedback absorbed and implemented. Recognize and acknowledge the shift. It takes courage and habit changes for someone to change, so make sure the person is aware you see their efforts.
If you need help with up-leveling your communication style, especially as it relates to your work, please reach out to me. Let’s schedule a call and see if I can help you with this.
DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH PROVIDING FEEDBACK?
IF SO, WHAT HELPS YOU? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!
p.s. SNEAK PEAK OF MY NEW BOOK is here >>> INFLUENTIAL DAD, EMPOWERED DAUGHTER.
Always with you!
Xx
Ash
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