Truth or Consequences: How to Give Performance Feedback October 27, 2009
Many of us put off giving feedback to our employees even though we intuitively know giving and getting honest feedback is essential, says Judith Lindenberger of The Lindenberger Group, LLC. Maybe, she ventures, it is because there are so many ways to screw it up.
The following, Lindenberger says, are the most common feedback mistakes:
1. Speaking out only when things are wrong.
2. "Drive-by" praise without specifics (i.e. "Great job!").
3. Waiting until performance or behavior is substantially below expectations before acting on it.
4. Giving feedback long after the event has occurred.
5. Giving negative feedback in public.
6. Criticizing performance without giving suggestions for improvement.
7. No follow-up afterward.
8. Not having regularly scheduled performance review meetings.
"Giving and receiving clear and constructive feedback requires courage and skill," says Lindenberger, "and is essential to building good relationships with and motivating peak performance from your team."
Here are her four tips for how to do right:
1. Be proactive. Nip issues in the bud and avoid the messy interpersonal tangles that result from neglected communication. Meeting with employees regularly conveys, "Your success is important to me, so I want to be accessible to you."
2. Be specific. It's never easy to provide negative feedback regarding someone's work, but as a leader, you can't avoid it. Be clear when providing feedback (both positive and negative). Give specific examples that illustrate your points.
3. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time, and follow up as scheduled.
4. Link performance to business goals. Reinforce the value of your employees' contributions by giving examples of how their work and behaviors serve your business and its customers.
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