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45Effective and timely feedback is a critical component of a successful performance management system%u00b7 Put your message in writing as well as delivering it verbally. Graphics have impact, and hard data has weight. In an instant, employees can see their progress %u2014 or lack thereof. Along with the graphic, include speci%uf001c suggestions for improvement and acknowledgment of jobs well done.NEGATIVE FEEDBACK OR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM; MAKE A SMART CHOICEThe actual goal of feedback--even negative feedback--is to improve the behaviour of the other person, to bring out the best in your entire organization. With that in mind, here are some ground rules:%u00b7 Make negative feedback unusual. When a work environment becomes %uf001lled with criticism and complaint, people stop caring, because they know that--whatever they do--they'll get raked over the coals. \every negative comment,\manager at IBM.%u00b7 Don't stockpile negative feedback. Changes in behaviour are more easily achieved when negative feedback is administered in small doses. When managers stockpile problems, waiting for the \easily become overwhelmed. %u00b7 Never use feedback to vent. Sure, your job is frustrating--but although it might make you feel better to get your own worries and insecurities off your chest, venting a string of criticisms seldom produces improved behaviour. In fact, it usually creates resentment and passive resistance.Don't email negative feedback. People who avoid confrontation are often tempted use email as a vehicle for negative feedback. Don't. \like lobbing hand grenades over a wall,\publishing guru Jonathan Seybold. \misconstrued, and when messages are copied, it brings other people into the fray.%u201d%u00b7 Start with an honest compliment. Compliments start a feedback session on the right footing, according to according to management consultant Sally Narodick and current board member at the supercomputer company Cray. \positive while still identifying areas for further growth and better outcomes.\%u00b7 Uncover the root of the problem. You can give better feedback if you understand how the other person perceives the original situation. Asking questions such as, \ do you approach this situation in this way?\\ was your thought process?\perspective, but it can lead other people to discover their own solutions and their own insights.%u00b7 Listen before you speak. Most people can't learn unless they %uf001rst feel that they've been heard out. Effective feedback \Make it one-on-one. Don%u2019t criticize publicly %u2013 ever.Remember face-to-face feedback is best. Plus, studies have shown that negative feedback may be less stressful to the brain than no feedback at all; for this reason, follow-ups are especially important for employees who need improvement.