Last month I confessed to my dislike for setting goals – this month I’m professing my love for feedback!
And not just positive feedback – feedback which, when phrased the right way, is constructive, motivating and provides a clear pathway to creating tangible positive outcomes.
Negative, positive, constructive, and those hideous 360s – all feedback can be fraught with danger if it doesn’t land the right way and can result in further discord in the workplace than previous. Here’s some simple rules in providing constructive feedback to help you navigate your way to successfully build engagement, trust and growth.
1. It’s about the behaviour – not the person. Discuss feedback objectively rather than create a personal attack on a team-mate. i.e. “You’re always late” vs “Do you think your Ops Manager role could be ready to roll by 8am each morning? If so, what’s stopping this from occurring?” The second scenario creates a safe entity to discuss further rather than having to defend your actions (which may occur in the first scenario).
2. Feedback is a dialogue – not a directive. This means you are entering into a two-way discussion where you need to invite them to contribute to the discussion. If you simply give feedback and end the discussion you have only posited your point of view. This can alienate many people and create resentment if they have not been given a space for their perspective and to be heard.
3. Listening creates space to learn – so learn to listen rather than continually provide your perspective.
4. Create trust in workplace relationships – to be open to critical feedback we need to trust the person has our best interest at heart
5. How often do you ask for feedback on your own performance? Not only will you gain insights into how others perceive you, you will undoubtably find new areas to grow in.
6. Positive effort should praise effort as well as ability – some people may never kick the goals you set out for them but should still be recognised for the amount of effort they put in to the job at hand.
7. Strong workplace relationships are built on a culture of honest, respectful feedback
8. And lastly, everyone loves receiving positive feedback, but many just forget to give it ... don’t be that person.
