Feedback

Aim of this Article

• Understand what is feedback
• Recognize the role of effective feedback in the organisation process
• Revisit the principles of effective feedback
• Have a framework for giving feedback

What is Feedback?

• Giving feedback is not to provide a judgement or evaluation. It is to provide insight.
• Feedback makes us aware of people‟s perceptions about us

Why does feedback matter?

• Giving feedback is the only way to ensure behavior will change, and it can help focus others on the most important issues.
• Many people are motivated or inspired by well-delivered feedback, and will perform at a higher level because of it

What are the different types of feedback?

1. Motivational Feedback: It is used to reward and support positive behavior e.g. your team member performs good and to motivate him you appreciate his work, this is motivational feedback.

2. Developmental Feedback: It is given when a particular area of performance needs to be improved e.g. highlighting the areas of your team members performance which needs improvement.

3. Constructive feedback: It is given so that to encourage the development of the individual towards which it is directed.

4. Intrinsic feedback: It is feedback from ones own self e.g. a person engaged in thinking and pondering over ideas, evaluating options and assessing their outcomes.

5. Extrinsic feedback: It is feedback which a person receives from others e.g. customer’s response to a payment request.

What makes giving feedback so difficult?

Challenges

• How to give helpful feedback to a very enthusiastic, hardworking colleague who is under-performing
• How to give feedback to receiver who become defensive or “tune out”.
• How to give feedback on professionalism, treating staff members poorly
• How to deal with not seeing improvement after specific feedback is given, e.g. going over notes and not seeing them get better in subsequent weeks
• How to provide feedback in a comfortable and confidential way

Barriers

From Givers Perspective

• It is uncomfortable
• Avoid confrontation
• Receiver will not be receptive
• Not quite sure how to do it

From Receivers Perspective

• No one ever gave me feedback
• I hated getting feedback

How to Receive Feedback

Do's

• Receive feedback as a gift that provides you with honest information about your perceived behavior/performance. Thank the person for being helpful to you.
• Be approachable
• Be open to what you will hear . Try to control your defensiveness.
• Listen to understand. Practice all the skills of an effective listener
• Summarize and reflect what you hear
• Ask questions to clarify. Focus on questions to make sure you understand the feedback.
• Seek feedback on a regular basis, it‟s not a single event.
• Use feedback to clarify goals, track progress toward those goals, and to improve the effectiveness of your behaviors over a period of time

Don't

• Take it personally
• Become defensive or explain your behavior.
• Interrupt the other person.
• Ask the person to defend his or her opinion

How to give feedback

Specific features of good feedback

TIMING

Make sure the time is right. The sooner the better, but if you're upset about the situation -or your colleague is -take a "time-out."

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS

Saying, "You need to do..." or "You're not doing this properly," can put the receiver on the defensive from the get-go.

Instead, say "I noticed that..." or "I understand that..." Beginning feedback phrases this way discusses the action or behavior that needs to be changed, not the person.

START WITH THE POSITIVE

Positive feedback acknowledges good contributions and work well done. Give specific examples of what the receiver did well.

Let the receiver know the positive impact their contributions had on the department or organization so they understand the results -this also lets them know that you see it and appreciate it.

Contractual

·         Stems from a set of common goals previously agreed upon

·         Involves a 2-way discussion

·         Builds on trust

BE DESCRIPTIVE AND TALK ABOUT THE FACTS

Discuss what happened, not how you feel about what happened. Focus on the situation, describe it, and stay objective.

Give a reason why it's an issue and state the impact it had on the rest of the staff, the organization, or the customer.

COLLABORATE TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

It's not up to you to come up with all the solutions by yourself -although you can offer suggestions that you think would be helpful.

Make a point of involving the recipient in this crucial part of the feedback process. This way, the recipient has some involvement in decision-making, which will result in a greater commitment to see that it's implemented.

Constructive

·         Is problem solving

·         Serves the needs of the receiver

·         Points to directions for improvement

·         Comes to closure and gives sense of future directions

Frameworks for Feedback

The Importance of Feedback

·         Feedback is a must for people who want to have honest relationships.

·         A powerful and important means for communication,

·         Giving feedback connects us and our behavior, to the world around us.

·         Feedbacks should encourage or redirect people in positive way

·         We should use such sessions as feed forward to improve future 

Key feedback strategies

·         Establish expectations early

·         Timing is everything

·         Praise in public; criticize in private

·         Emphasize and repeat important points

·         Be specific, focus on behaviors and not on person

·         Respect the receiver, consider his/her perspective

·         Take the receiver to the “next step”

·         Make deposits in the “feedback bank”

·         Good technique can be learned

·         Practice, practice, practice