Productive Feedback Fuels Performance

Managers’ ability to share feedback, especially in WFH regime, comes across as one of the most difficult of leadership skills. Many people think that the tough feedback is always considered as negative, like ‘bad news’. It implies that the recipient has messed up or done something wrong and that’s why he/she is being invited for a ‘big’ meeting during which is his/her career or future will be decided. That’s not necessarily true. So, let’s take it easy.

The term ‘tough’ itself is a harsh expression, therefore, it would be wise to add ‘productive’ to it and henceforth, let’s name it ‘Productive Feedback’. Tough by definition is “unyielding and firm”. It’s more useful to think of tough feedback in that context — it may be uncomfortable for someone to hear what is being said simply because it’s not consistent with how they view themselves.

On the other hand, the most dramatic and dreaded ritual for most managers is the annual or bi-annual performance review. Some just hate it as this ritual is going to ruin their personal PR. Not only is there a substantial amount of administrative work involved , but also the added stress of having to deliver constructive criticism to employees. In fact, a Harris Poll, on behalf of Interact, found that 69% of managers feel uncomfortable communicating with employees — especially when considering the likelihood of a negative response to feedback. Although managers can delegate a variety of responsibilities, providing feedback is not one of them. This job must stay with the line manager and must be taken very seriously. Related article: click here.

Here are 5 advices that can help you, as manager, deliver tough but productive feedback to your employees:

1. Follow 6:1 Rule

Remember this. There are a number of theories you can follow that suggests the best balance between productive and constructive feedback. The most impressive one comes across from leadership consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman. Their research shows the ideal ratio of praise to criticism is 6:1 — the highest-performing teams were nearly six positive comments for every negative one.

Getting the ratio of positive to negative feedback right is important. This isn’t the same as “candy coating” or softening the message. It’s about achieving the right balance.

2. Don’t pile up tough feedback

This follows directly from the 6:1 rule-of-thumb. If your managers wait for the D-Day to deliver all the tough feedback in one meeting, they risk setting the stage for a difficult if not overwhelming meeting for the employee. This may lead to friction and disengagement that can fuel tension rather than resolve a potential performance or behavioral problem.

Difficult performance conversations are also best held as soon as your employees become aware of a performance or behavioural issue instead of waiting for the so called “right time” where issues may lack context and fall prey to poor memories. That’s why organisations encourage “Let’s Talk” weekly meetings during which such issues are addressed and both parties move on.

3. Link your feedback with the goals

Constructive feedback is more likely to have a positive impact on motivating an employee. It is more practical to link it with progress on a goal. Ayelet Fishbach, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, proposes that “Positive feedback motivates goal pursuit when it signals an increase in goal commitment, whereas negative feedback motivates goal pursuit when it signals insufficient goal progress.”

For the frontline managers, this also underscores the importance of establishing clear goals with employees and talking about their progress on a regular basis. A conversation based on the customer would help employees to work on their shortcomings.

4. Be very specific

The utility of any feedback, tough or productive, is amplified when your feedback is specific, timely and targeted. Don’t just make a statement in the air i.e. “Look: you are consistently missing your deadlines and that really needs to change” is simply a vague and useless statement. As you can see, there are a number of key specific details missing here. How would you feel if your bosses take this approach to sharing feedback with you? Talk about: How many assignments is the employee late with? How late were they? The absence of specifics doesn’t set the stage for performance improvement.

Instead, how about this? “Over the last three months, four of your past five deliverables have been completed one week after the agreed upon project deadline without any request for any further extension in the deadlines. That makes our team realise that managers are open for a dialogue and they should have approached him/her if a deadline needed to be extended for any unforeseen reason.

The specifics of the second approach establish instant credibility for the manager’s criticism and a foundation for addressing the performance concern. It also provides the opportunity to have a dialogue about what can be done differently in the future.

5. Stop beating around the bush

Most people appreciate receiving bad news or constructive criticism in an upfront, straightforward manner. A 2014 survey by Zenger and Folkman found that 72% of respondents thought their performance would improve if their managers provided corrective feedback. That number rose to 92% when the caveat of “if delivered appropriately” was added. A sugarcoated message risks an employee not even realizing that their manager is actually being critical of their performance. One coaching tip some found useful, particularly when they have had to give tough feedback, is to prepare in advance what they want to say. This helps ensure they can clearly convey the meaning in a way that is constructive, not confrontational or lecturing.

Final Takeaways

To summarize, many leaders try to soften such conversations , that is lost in the translation and that makes it more difficult to articulate the point they are trying to get across. The result is nothing else but a confused messaging that won’t really have an impact one way or the other.

Sharing productive feedback is seldom fun and is never easy. However, when delivered correctly, it can be the most valuable feedback a manager can share with an employee. Holding someone accountable is strictly between his or her performance and is an acceptable standard. It’s not about you and your employee, personally. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to get your team to the point where candor flows freely.

Last but not the least, delivering productive feedback is tough if you’re not used to doing it. And doing it right takes courage and a healthy dose of tact. It’s irresponsible to just let feedback fly without considering its impact. Also make sure that your personal biases are left outside of the meeting room. After all, the reason you give feedback is to inspire someone to grow.

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Muhammad Sajwani is the Founder, Managing Director and Principal Consultant at Evolve HR which aims at transforming, enriching and evolving Human Capital of Pakistan. At Evolve HR, him and his team thrives in challenging assumptions that hinder organisational aspirations, by creating innovative solutions that yield maximum impact, scalability & benefit to a wider base of stakeholders. As a Business Coach and Organisational Consultant, Sajwani knows how to combine business insights with people insights to transform organisations and put them on the path to growth.