Tips for Offering Effective Feedback

feedback

 

Effective feedback is something that every good manager should offer to employees.

Good feedback drives individual and company-wide performance. It motivates

employees and, in turn, fosters company-wide productivity. To some, offering

feedback is daunting, and to others, knowing how to offer valuable feedback is

somewhat of an “unknown.” It is important to consider that feedback is not praise,

it is not criticism, and it is not advice. Good feedback is about offering constructive

information in response to efforts toward reaching a particular goal.

 

Consider the following key elements to improve your feedback and the overall

success of your team:

 

Effective feedback is goal-oriented.

Feedback should be catered toward moving employees closer to their own

performance goals, or toward the betterment of the company. If your response to

employee performance does not have to do with these objectives, it is likely

unnecessary and will actually result in counter-productivity and frustration.

 

Effective feedback is specific.

Clear communication should take place when offering feedback. When offering

information about employee performance, managers should relay specific examples

to demonstrate why efforts were effective, or illustrations of where goals were not

as successfully reached. Furthermore, it is important that the recipient of the

feedback relays a clear understanding of what is being communicated.

 

Effective feedback is empathetic.

It is important to view the perspective of employees when offering feedback.

Consider the last time you received feedback that mattered to you – information

that you took to heart and that encouraged better performance on your part.

Usually it came from someone who genuinely cared about you, who appreciated

where you came from and where you were headed.

 

Effective feedback is timely.

Don’t wait until the quarterly review to offer feedback. Immediate response to

employee performance will be more meaningful and applicable when the action

taken is fresh on the heart and mind of the employee.

 

Effective feedback is honest.

Feedback that is fake, forced, or not completely truthful is neither good for

employees, nor for the overall organization. In fact, it can actually create barriers

skepticism. As a manager, honesty can be hard at times, but trying to tell people

what you assume they want to hear can actually hurt their effectiveness; on the

other hand, providing constructive, truthful feedback in a gentle, empathetic

manner is proven to build employee engagement and productivity over time.

 

Effective feedback is consistent.

It is important to offer constant feedback, and to follow up on feedback given.

People want their efforts to be recognized. Acknowledging the work of employees is

guaranteed to increase engagement and motivation. Offering consistent feedback

helps people to know whether they are on the right track, and how they can better

contribute to an organization’s success.

 

Effective feedback leaves room for improvement.

It is important, as you offer feedback to employees, to get their input regarding how

you offer feedback. Asking employees how you can better respond to their

performance will increase trust and lines of communication overall, and it will help

you to improve your ability to offer better feedback to other employees, and your

own managers as well.

 

What is your greatest challenge with giving feedback? Share in the comments or contact

us at bridgebetween.com.

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