Feedback Skills Ask any manager or team leader about the feedback he or she gives and you’re likely to get a common answer. Positive feedback is given promptly and enthusiastically, whereas negative feedback requires more thought and reservation. This is because nobody actually likes communicating bad news, but delaying, avoiding or substantially distorting feedback because we don’t want to upset people can often lead to awkward situations. Giving feedback, positive or negative, should follow the basic rules below: Positive V Negative. Positive feedback is much better received than negative, what’s more, it’s often perceived as more accurate. People don’t want to hear or believe bad news and, for this reason, giving negative feedback requires you to be more objective and have hard data to back up your claims. If feedback is subjective, then the credibility of the person giving it must be high or the feedback will be dismissed.Focus on specific behaviours. Don’t be vague with your feedback, with comments such as “your attitude is poor”. This will not help the recipient understand exactly what they need to change. Tell them exactly what constitutes ‘poor’. Keep feedback impersonal. Feedback should be descriptive rather than evaluative. No matter how upset you are, keep feedback impersonal. Criticise the behaviour, not the person. Tell them what they are doing wrong and avoid attacking them as a person. Keep feedback goal oriented. Ask yourself whom the feedback designed to help. If it’s you, to simply get something off your chest, think again. Such feedback can only damage your credibility and takes the point out of what you were trying to say. Keep feedback directed at staff goals. Make feedback well timed. Feedback is most meaningful soon after the behaviour. If you have to spend time describing and re-creating the incident, your feedback will be less effective. However, making feedback prompt for promptness sake can also backfire, especially as a cooling off period may be advised. Ensure understanding. Is your feedback concise and complete enough for the recipient to understand? Remember that communications need to be understood to be effective. Listening is equally important when giving feedback. Direct negative behaviour toward behaviour that recipient can control. There’s little value in reminding someone of a shortfall they have in an area they have no control over. Negative feedback should be focused on things the recipient can do something about. Better still, indicate what steps can be done to rectify the situation in the future.
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