The motivational benefits of positive feedback were explored in Creating the Conditions for Outstanding Performance . Acknowledging and recognizing good performance is a strong reinforcement of behaviour and encourages people to continue to strive for first-class results. There are also occasions, of course, when it is necessary to give feedback about the things that people don’t do so well so that they can learn and put matters right. It is a difficult art. Some team leaders avoid it. Others give feedback but insensitively. Relatively few handle it well. Some people pride themselves on being straight and to the point. But repeated blows delivered in the name of honesty and directness are usually damaging. There are some useful guidelines for giving feedback to help people to improve in a way that both the giver and recipient find comfortable, acceptable and effective:
- State the purpose of the feedback so that the recipient understands your intentions.
- Stick to the facts and avoid emotive words. It is hardly surprising that Jack responds defensively if he is told that he is obnoxious, rude and arrogant. Although far from easy for him, he is more likely to cope if he learns that ‘in this morning’s meeting he rejected every idea offered by others in a peremptory fashion and that he interrupted on at least a dozen occasions’.
- Talk about behaviour rather than personality. People can change their behaviour but not their personalities. In any case, commenting adversely about an individual’s personality traits usually and understandably leads to defensiveness.
- Be specific rather than general. There is not much that Jean can do if she is told that she has an attitude problem. It is more helpful for her to learn that she responded to the last three requests for urgent information with the comment, ‘I am up to my ears with work. I will deal with it when I have finished everything else. It has to go to the bottom of the pile.’ If she is then helped to think through how to prioritize her work then she may change.
- Avoid using words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ when describing someone’s behaviour. They usually irritate and cause people to be defensive. In any event they are almost invariably untrue.
- Give feedback at the earliest opportunity after the event, subject to the recipient’s readiness to hear it.
- Refer to the effects of the behaviour on you. Acomment along the lines of ‘When you interrupt me I lose my train of thought’ gives a clear indication to Laurence about the effect of his behaviour on you. When the feedback is put into context in this way it is more readily believed and the recipient is more likely to do something about it.
- Check for understanding. We spend our lives being misunderstood. Feedback is a sensitive matter so it is important to check. Ask Sarah how she interprets your comments. You can then assess whether her version is the one that you intended.
- Think about your motives for giving feedback. Are you sure that you are giving feedback to help the recipient to change rather than to get things off your chest?
- Beware of playing the amateur psychologist. Stick to facts and avoid theorizing about possible, but unlikely, deep-seated early-life causes of behaviour.
- Agree on the action to be taken. If appropriate offer your help.
Since giving and receiving feedback is a tough call for both of you, finish by showing your appreciation of the recipient for being willing to discuss the issue and for being prepared to take some action.
Feedback doesn’t always work. Most of us, however, although we may find it uncomfortable and it may come as a surprise to us, are willing to change when we learn about the damaging effects of our behaviour. But this is only true if the feedback is given in a constructive and sensitive fashion. If the guidelines are followed then recipients of feedback are less likely to react defensively.
Good leaders create a climate that encourages their team members to seek feedback. It is more effective when the recipient feels that she or he needs and is willing to receive it. Once again mutual trust and leadership by example are the building blocks. Trust has to be there before people will readily ask for feedback. Leadership by example, in this sense, means that the team leader not only shows a clear willingness to receive feedback from colleagues but also goes out of his or her way to seek it. Team members who see the leader behaving in this fashion are more likely to be prepared to accept feedback and act on it.