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Feedback
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Improving Your Group’s
Performance
You have an opportunity
to raise the bar, identify
new and appropriate challenges,
and increase the level of
contribution of your staff.
Right now by conducting
a mid-year review.
The Purpose
How
would you benefit if each
of the people in your group
was a little more productive,
could take on a little more
responsibility, worked together
a little more collegially?
Mid-year Review
The
first half of the year has
already passed. Take time
now to review accomplishments
of your direct reports over
the last six months, whether
or not a mid-year review
is a formal part of your
company’s feedback process.
It will make the year-end
review easier, more credible,
and you may even realize
you want to have a conversation
now. More importantly, both
you and the person will
have greater work satisfaction
and greater impact.
Management Fitness
Developing
good habits of giving feedback
is like a physical fitness
program. People who are
successful with health and
fitness have a positive
goal in mind that keeps
them motivated. For example,
one of my clients, John,
consistently works out because
it burns off restless energy
and gives him better mental
focus. Another, Paul, works
out because it makes him
feel more relaxed. Alice
works with a personal trainer
because the commitment to
scheduling and paying that
trainer keeps her committed.
Those who try to motivate
themselves through criticism
or obligation soon lose
interest.
It’s the
same with management fitness.
There is power in the way
you frame the task in your
own mind. If you regard
Performance Reviews as a
way to achieve more with
your group, a way to stay
in touch with what interests
and motivates each of your
staff members, and a way
you look good to your own
management, then the process
will happen as a result
of your commitment.
Performance Reviews
are an opportunity to recalibrate,
to make sure your staff
is aligned with your expectations
for the role. And it’s a
time to listen to what will
keep your employees interested,
engaged and committed.
5 Tips to Effective Feedback
Appreciation
and criticism can be difficult
conversations. Here are
the 5 tips to Effective
Feedback, the foundation
of an effective performance
review.
- Be descriptive.
What project, task or
report are you discussing?
When specifically was
that accomplished?
- What was the impact
of that? How did that
affect the group? The
company? Why, specifically,
was it beneficial? What
was the specific skill
or result that you appreciate?
- If this is criticism,
describe what you want
instead.
- Describe the impact
of that preferred behavior.
- Describe specifically
what that would look
like.
Case Study: Apply the 5
Steps
1. Be descriptive. The most
important aspect of this
step is to leave out judgment
words like lazy, disappointing,
scattered, phlegmatic, or
inconsistent. Why leave
out judgment if your job
is to judge effectiveness?
Because the person will
not be able to hear you.
They will just check out.
It’s a natural human defense
mechanism. Also, your job
is to judge the effectiveness
of the person in the role,
and judgment words are judging
the person as a human being.
If you are descriptive,
they will be able to hear
you. Your first responsibility
in conveying effective feedback
is to be heard. An example:
“George, you delivered the
ABC report to me on June
10. It was due on June 2.”
When you start with a fact
the person is still paying
attention. You are not being
mean or rude with a sentence
like that.
2. What was the impact?
When you give reasons, a
person can understand why
it matters. If you just
say “don’t do that,” it’s
not helpful. Giving the
impact provides the possibility
and the context for the
person to be motivated to
change. An example, “Because
the report was 8 days late,
we lost the contract.” Or,
“Because the report was
8 days late, I had to have
Mary pick up the slack,
which made us late with
the XYZ project.”
3. Describe what you want
instead. In the future I
need you to meet the deadlines
or let me know if you can’t.
4. Describe the impact of
that preferred behavior.
For example, “Then I will
be able to give you more
complex assignments that
you have requested, our
clients will be more satisfied
with our service, your peers
will appreciate the value
of having you in the group,
and our company will be
more successful.”
5. Describe
specifically
what that would look like.
If step 3 is a general statement,
give the positive activities
you want him/her to do instead.
It’s your job as manager
to give constructive alternatives.
The correct alternatives
may be obvious to you but
not to the individual. “For
the next project, let’s
set up weekly milestones
so we can discuss your progress
against the deadline.” Or,
“I’d like to make sure we
discuss any conflicts in
priorities that you’re trying
to resolve. Let’s meet tomorrow
to do that.” Or, “Let’s
discuss how you see the
scope of the next project
to make sure we’re working
off the same parameters.”
For Appreciation
Appreciation can be delivered
in the same format. Vague
praise can actually backfire.
“Good job Sally,” is not
necessarily received as
a compliment. What was good
about it? What did you value?
And Sally might even think,
“don’t try your behavior
modification on me”, or,
“who appointed you my judge?”
Follow the same steps as
above for being specific
about the work you appreciate,
and specific about the positive
impact.
Bonus Points
For advanced students of
the ongoing process of learning
management, try this. Think
about what exactly it is
that “Roger” brings to the
role or the group that is
particularly unique. Choose
something personal and professional,
that you particularly value.
Not just a skill, like “great
software code, Roger.” It
needs to be something completely
true that you appreciate
(people can sniff out insincerity
a mile away) and something
that really is important
(not trivial, like great
idea to have an inbox).
This might be problem solving,
analysis and synthesis,
creativity, or an uncanny
ability to anticipate trends.
Identify the pattern of
brilliance that he has demonstrated,
and back it up with specific
examples. If you have had
the good fortune of having
mentors, this is most likely
what they gave you. Why
is this feedback so powerful?
Because he will have the
experience of being known
and understood, which is
a rare and wonderful thing.
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