Overview

• If you took a poll among managers about things they dislike the most in their jobs, providing feedback to employees would probably be at the top of the list. In fact, many managers dread giving feedback more than going to the dentist. 
   
• But managers need to overcome their fear – and go out and fill this vital need for their organizations – because insufficient feedback is often a root cause of poor employee and business performance. Work units that emphasize regular, constructive feedback usually perform better. When trends or issues become apparent in your day-to-day associations with employees, bring them up in your informative meetings.
   
• The 21st century may be the age of technology, but research shows that employees in these anxiety ridden times crave quality feedback more than ever. They desire to know where they stand, using the feedback they receive as a stepping stone toward self-improvement and satisfaction on the job.
   
• But a huge gap exists between need and fulfillment. Ineffective feedback is commonplace in organizations today and one of the major deficiencies I see in the communication audit and focus group research I do. 
   
• What is feedback? Basically, feedback is information about past work behavior and performance, delivered in the present by a manager, with the intent of influencing future behavior and performance.
   
• Feedback can be limited to a few words giving an opinion about a specific piece of work, or it can be more comprehensive, taking into account a person’s work output over a period of time. The purpose of feedback is to help the recipient understand their strengths and weaknesses and motivate them to improve. 
   
• Feedback is about praise and it’s about constructive assessment; it’s not about browbeating.

• Provide the specifics of what occurred, saying "I have noticed" or “I have had reported to me" or "I have observed." State observations, not interpretations.
   
• Be sincere and avoid giving mixed messages like saying "You have worked hard on this project, but…" Get to the point and avoid creating contradictions.
   
• In negative situations, express concern, which provides the appropriate level of sincerity to the message.
   
• Give the feedback person-to-person, not via email.
   
• Give feedback as soon as possible. When giving negative feedback, though, if you are really upset with an employee, take a short period of time to cool off and get your thoughts in order.
   
• Give feedback frequently and keep it balanced between good and bad. Try and catch employees doing the job right just as much as you catch and respond to them not doing things quite right

• Giving feedback is an important and necessary managerial responsibility. The organization’s performance is determined by the collective effort of employees. If feedback isn’t given, performance suffers all the way around. The employee and the manager pay for it as work problems escalate; and the Company pays for it as performance lags. It’s as straight and simple as that.
   
• Giving feedback doesn’t have to be feared. Just as visits to the dentist aren’t so bad if you take care of your teeth, the feedback discussion usually isn’t so bad, either, if you have taken the time to prepare for it, learn the basics of how to do it right and provide feedback regularly throughout the year. The more feedback you give during the course of the year, the more comfortable both you -- and the employee -- will be about it. And the lower the chance for occurrence of a flare up that results in uncomfortable conflict.
   
• Build a performance plan that becomes the “baseline” for feedback. Prioritize time for performance planning. Schedule “face time” to build and mold the plan, itemizing the needs and objectives consistent with the organization’s appraisal structure. Achieve two-way understanding of the performance levels and behaviors you expect before the new performance cycle begins in earnest. Set job standards, goals and deadlines; establish measurement criteria and clarify training needs. The plan becomes your baseline for constructive discussion throughout the year. It’s a frame of reference about expectations that the employee understands and accepts.
   
• Think before you say. Planning also counts when it comes to preparing for feedback discussions. Not enough time? Ask your managers to envision all the headaches that occur when employees fail to meet performance standards and don’t focus on the right challenges. Instruct managers to prioritize time for performance planning and thinking about how they will phrase feedback to the employee. Avoid the impulse mode; choose words carefully. Solid preparation pays off and saves time for managers in the long-run.
   
• Keep feedback objective and specific. Focus on the problem, not the individual. Use facts, observations and results. Deal with observed and documented behavior, not personality. Don’t beat around the bush. Be direct and spell out, in clear language, the exact problem and its impact on the organization. Clearly communicate the results achieved and let the employee know the results you are expecting. Speak to the consequences if action or behavior is not improved. But don’t stop there. Build employee ownership and initiative for problem resolution. Start a two-way conversation where you ask for the person’s help in addressing the issue and discuss their ideas for solving it. Reach agreement on specific actions. Confirm the agreement by restating it and by assigning a specific time frame to complete action.
   
• Provide feedback frequently and in a timely way. Feedback should be given regularly and informally, as close as possible in time to the performance event. Prompt feedback will enable the employee to quickly address problems within their level of control, or duplicate the success.
   
• Offer “balanced” feedback: positive as well as constructive. Feedback comes in two sizes: positive and negative. Some managers ignore the former. Yes, feedback is about coaching those who not performing at the expected level. But it’s also about displays of appreciation for positive behavior and results. Periodically offering up praise and encouragement for good performance helps maintain motivation and signals them to continue in this direction. And it helps takes the edge off conversations more delicate in nature.
   
• Respect the individual. A respectful discussion is one where the manager or supervisor speaks with the individual privately, avoids accusatory tones and uses positive, non-verbal body language such as attentive listening. Don’t threaten the individual. Above all else, stay cool and professional. Don’t be drawn into emotional conflict.
   
• Allow time for course correction. If an employee hits a bump in the road, or isn’t meeting your performance expectations, let them know as the situation develops. Don’t wait until the final performance review to tell them what you think. It’s only fair that you give the employee some time to address the deficiencies and encourage them as they strive to course correct. Schedule follow-up meetings to discuss progress.

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