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How do I Give Effective Feedback?

What is Feedback?

Feedback is a management tool that is used to let the employee know how they are performing.

It is a communication to another person of how you see the actions of that person and how they affect you, other people and the business.

‘People perform best when they know how they are doing.’

What is Effective Feedback?

Many Managers, either don’t realise, or forget, that criticism doesn’t motivate people as well as positive feedback. With criticism, you work harder because you HAVE TO (to try and avoid the criticism). However, with positive feedback, people work harder because they WANT TO, and most will do much more!

Feedback is only effective when the employee is left feeling enthusiastic, confident, and planning to improve him/herself even more.

CONSTRUCTIVE feedback:

• Is stated in specific terms rather than vague or general terms
• Is directed at behaviour/performance rather than personalities
• Is an observation of events rather than a labeling or emotional judgement
• Focuses on the coaching style instead of put-downs
• Allows the receiver to solve his/her problems

How can I Give Feedback?

There are three ways in which you can give feedback:

• Informal: Day to day, usually after checking someone’s work.
• Formal: This could be a performance review, a weekly 10 minute talk, or a formal coaching session.
• Displayed: Feedback can be continuous – say, as a graph that is updated periodically which displays your team’s performance compared with others/compared with historic information.

How do I Give Effective Informal Feedback?

It is tempting to only give feedback when something goes wrong, but you should also give feedback when something goes WELL.

To be effective, feedback should be given as soon after the event as is possible.

Feedback is most appreciated when it is asked for.

How do I Give Effective Formal Feedback?

Types of Formal Feedback

Formal Coaching Sessions

A formal coaching session is where you and the employee sit down together to analyse and discuss how the person is progressing, and to see if any further support is required.

Jump Business Solutions recommends that formal coaching sessions be conducted on a regular basis - dependent on how often the staff member requests or needs it. The newer they are at a job, or the less comfortable they are - the more often you will need to hold a coaching session.

Companies that have brought in a coaching culture report significant benefits that include:

• A focus on solutions not problems
• Motivated people that are inspired to achieve their best
• Open communication channels
• Reduced conflict between staff
• Reduced staff turnover
• Increased productivity
• Improved staff morale - greater happiness and satisfaction at work

360 Degree Appraisals

Coaching sessions should be followed up by a formal performance review - preferably one that involves a collecting information from peers, reporting staff, coworkers, customers, and supervisors - called 360 degree feedback.

Well-managed, well-integrated 360 degree feedback processes have the following benefits:

• Improved Feedback From More Sources: Provides well-rounded feedback. This can be a definite improvement over feedback from a single individual.
• Saves Managers Time: They spend less energy providing feedback as more people participate in the process.
• Team Development: Helps team members learn to work more effectively together.
• Improves Communication: Makes people more aware of the differing levels of communication required and the needs of their audience.
• Personal and Organizational Performance Development: One of the best methods for understanding personal and organizational developmental needs.
• Career Development: Can provide excellent information to an individual about what she or needs to do to enhance their career.
• More Accurate: 360 degree feedback is more reflective of their performance, and more validating than feedback from the supervisor alone.
• Reduced Discrimination Risk: When feedback comes from a number of individuals in various job functions, discrimination because of race, age, gender, and so on, is reduced.
• Improved Customer Service: Each person receives valuable feedback about the quality of his product or services.
• Training Needs Assessment: Provides comprehensive information about individual and organisational training needs

Effective Formal Feedback

Effective Formal Feedback involves the following processes:

• Building rapport
• Setting an agenda
• Clarifying expectations
• Analysing performance
• Giving positive feedback
• Analysing development/problem area(s)
• Analysing causes
• Arriving at acceptable solutions
• Contracting on solutions
• Looking to the future

During the coaching or appraisal session, for it to be effective you need to:

• Ask three times as many open questions (questions that are not leading and do not allow a "yes" or "no" answer) as closed questions
• Actively listen
• Paraphrase to check your understanding
• Summarise the session.

Get in Touch with Jump

If you need help, or you answered no or unsure to any of the questions in the assessment tool, then Jump Business Solutions can help you. Phone us on +64 6 754 8987 or +64 27 450 5271 or email info@jump4biz.com and Jump will come to you, discover your needs, and develop a solution that will create real, long-term and positive change for you and your business.