Feedback for Improved Productivity and Relationships

GIVING FEEDBACK IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY to make your work group high in productivity and rich in satisfying workplace relationships. Make giving feedback a part of your everyday work.

Organizations generally require feedback or evaluation at certain times and in a specified format. Learn to carry out this process effectively. The organization’s policy provides the background for feedback behavior. We also need to have an understanding with everyone we work with about giving and receiving feedback on a regular basis. Talk with your group and decide how you will give and receive feedback. Consider whether to: promise all feedback will be given and discussed orally before it is written; set routine times for giving the feedback; go to a special place for feedback, etc. Take notes on your how to give feedback discussion and put your agreement in writing.

Types of Feedback. We choose from among at least six types of feedback. Keep in mind that if you do not make a deliberate choice, you are making the choice by default.

1) Positive Feedback. Sincere, timely compliments reinforce work well done. Consider whether to give them privately or in front of others. If the receiver is comfortable with a compliment from the supervisor with others looking on, then others may take note and strive to earn similar compliments. Too many compliments shared with everyone can put a star producer in an awkward position with peers.

Performance that is reinforced is more likely to continue and even increase. Performance ignored may diminish. Be sure that your nonverbal cues match your verbal communication; a verbal compliment with a negative look or sarcastic tone will not be believed.

Be specific and compliment behavior. I like the way you used the Jones and Landry cases as examples in the quarterly report, is much preferable to, Good job!

2) Positive Nonverbal Statements. Nonverbal statements are the messages we get from another person’s behavior in a broad sense. Simply acknowledging a person’s presence with a nod, eye contact or, Good morning, includes them in the group. This type feedback is rarely noticed except when it is not done.

When we like someone we spend time with them or phone them or in some way show them we are interested in them. If your supervisor gives you challenging assignments, you will likely infer that she thinks you are capable and responsible.

Promotions and raises say that you are valued. The organization as a whole makes nonverbal statements to staff in the form of policies enacted and resources provided.

When giving feedback freely is the norm, giving constructive feedback promptly whenever it is needed makes a positive nonverbal statement.

Expecting and insisting on good work says to the employee, You are a valuable and capable member of the group.

3) Constructive Feedback. That we won’t know what we are doing wrong unless we are told seems abundantly obvious. Both relationships and productivity suffer when mistakes and work not done are ignored. Giving constructive feedback enables the receiver to do better work and advance in the organization.

Constructive feedback must be specific information about behavior. Don’t leave the recipient guessing what to change. Tell what behavior must stop and what behavior must start. (See Stop, Start, Continue on page 7) If the method of change is not obvious, explain how. Also tell why; the rationale that is obvious to you may not be for the other person. When behavior changes, or even starts to change, reinforce it. Pay attention to the person’s progress; changing habits is not easy; human beings, just like pets, need reinforcement and encouragement.

4) No Verbal and Negative Nonverbal. Sometimes groups have a whipping boy or a victim. That person may do poor work or simply may not be liked. Others ignore them by avoiding conversation, looking away or turning away from them. This may happen when a lay-off is imminent. Those who know, or think they know, who will be dismissed often avoid interacting with the people they think will be leaving. Obviously, to be the target of such negative feedback is painful. Production, except for the most dedicated worker, will decline and relationships will sour.

Darin was a high-producing sales rep for an industrial manufacturing company. When a new sales manager was brought in, the weekly sales meetings became unpleasant for Darin. The manager did not look at him or address any remarks to him. After a few weeks of this, the CEO phoned during a meeting. The manger said, We are all here and named everyone in the room except Darin. In a few weeks, Darin left to work for another company.

To avoid inadvertently giving this harmful feedback. make conscious efforts to notice everyone in your group on a regular basis.

5) Careless Remarks. The person with this habit appears not to care about people and projects. When someone asks, Oh, did you have time to look at the report I turned in yesterday? the response is an indifferent, Yeah, it’s OK, without even looking up. Responses are likely to be tangential or even unrelated to the message received. The recipient of careless feedback feels rejected and confused. Production and relationships suffer.

Avoid careless feedback by being really present when interacting. Find time away from the office or shut your office door when you must give full attention to paper work or phone calls.

6) Criticism. Harsh, accusatory criticism does not make anything better and almost certainly will make the situation worse. Criticism focuses on the person rather than the behavior which must change. Lecturing, name calling or using labels, such as lazy or dead-weight, demean the giver and the receiver of the message. Accompanying nonverbal behaviors to criticism often include a stare, frown, tense voice, stiff posture, hands on hips or a fake smile. In fact, negative nonverbal statements can turn a positive, objective message into criticism.

Relationships suffer from criticism immediately. Although determined people will try to learn from the criticism and go on, many will give up their effort to do good work and production suffers.

Replace criticism with constructive feedback. The other person needs to know what is not acceptable and how to do it satisfactorily.

Message Making. We have considered six types of feedback. What do you actually say? How do you formulate a message, especially when you are in a difficult situation? How do you change a habit of criticizing, ignoring poor performance, or of failing to reinforce appropriate behavior?

Practice preparing and delivering appropriate feedback, and you will be rewarded with new habits and a more effective staff. So, how do we put a message together? What to say? Use the Message Making Insert to prepare for your next feedback.