7 Feedback Tips to Supercharge Employee Performance
Most managers know
that giving feedback is part of being a good leader. But do we actually give
feedback often enough? Probably not. According to Gallup’s most recent global
assessment of employee engagement, workers feel slighted in two areas: weekly
“recognition or praise for doing good work” and twice-yearly assessments of
their progress.
The message is
clear: Most employees think their managers aren’t giving sufficient feedback.
The result? We’re missing a huge opportunity to further engage our employees,
and we may unwittingly be driving them out the door. How do we stem the tide
and effectively give frequent, helpful feedback?
Never
just say ‘great job.’ Great job on what?
Treat it like an
ongoing dialogue. Feedback should happen often and be considered a
regular part of your relationship with your employees. At a minimum, it should
happen a few times a month.
Jump on opportunities. It’s
often helpful to seize the moment to debrief while the details are fresh in
both your minds. When a situation requires constructive criticism, discussing
it immediately helps the employee avoid repeating the behavior—and allows you
to maintain an air of calm objectivity later when it comes time to deliver more
comprehensive overall feedback.
Use the “PCP
sandwich”: Positive-Constructive-Positive. Start out
the conversation by acknowledging something positive that the individual has
done recently, follow with constructive criticism, then return to something
positive.
Be specific. Never
just say “great job.” Great job on what? The presentation structure?
Information organization? Actual presentation of the work? Employees need to
know, specifically, what they did and didn’t do well to progress. If you don’t
have time to delve into details immediately, a simple “Great job, let’s debrief
on specifics this afternoon,” will go a long way. (And of course, if they
didn’t do a great job, specificity is even more vital.)
Discuss behaviors,
not characteristics. When giving feedback, make
sure to identify the behavior (e.g., “I noticed you hesitated several
times during the presentation”) vs. highlighting a personal characteristic (e.g.,
“Youwere hesitant during the presentation”). The first lends itself
to discussion; the second sounds like an accusation.
Collaborate on
solutions, then follow up. Brainstorm with
your employees on how to get a better result. Offer suggestions and ask them to
do the same. Then check in at regular intervals and acknowledge specific
improvements.
Above all, listen. After
you give feedback ask, “How does that sound?” or “What are your thoughts?” Then
listen to the response
For Women &
Co. by Nancy Joyce, Joyce Advisors
ttps://www.womenandco.com/article/7-feedback-tips-to-supercharge-employee-performance.jsp
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