Home
>
Team Building
>
Feedback - How to Make it Effective

Feedback - How to Make it Effective

Let's look at the detail of giving feedback. Whether you want to reinforce behaviour - Confirming feedback or change unacceptable behaviour - Productive feedback, there are certain steps you need to follow to make it work.

1. Do it ASAP - When you see or hear something you do or don't like you need to say something right away. If it's Confirming feedback it's not much use saying something months later. - "I liked the way you handled that difficult customer a couple of months ago Dave." Dave is going to have a bit of a problem remembering that situation and the effect of the feedback is totally wasted.

It also makes sense to give Dave Productive feedback as soon as you see or hear something you don't like. If you don't do it right away then Dave will assume that you didn't notice or that it doesn't matter or that you don't care.

2. Do it in private - This seems like the most obvious thing to say but I still see managers giving a member of their team some Productive feedback in front of other people be they colleagues or customers. Of course, it's usually more of a reprimand.

I think some managers believe that if they're seen and heard giving some feedback then it will have an effect on the other team members - you bet it will - it'll totally de- motivate them!

3. Check that it's okay to speak - Always check that it's okay to speak. If one of your team has just finished speaking to a customer on the phone, they might have some admin things to do before they forget. If you interrupt then you risk being responsible for a customer not getting something they were promised.

It's only good manners to check before speaking and your people will respect you for it.

4. Announce your intentions - If your people are not used to receiving regular feedback, what do you think runs through their mind when you pull up a chair or ring them on the phone - your right - they think it's bad news, that they've done something wrong or there's a problem.

It's important therefore to tell them up front what you want to speak about.

You might say - "Jill, I've just read your last report and I'd like to give you some good news." You then go on to give them some Confirming feedback - and remember to make it descriptive.

5. Tell them how YOU feel about their behaviour - Your people work for the same organisation as you but it's you they have to please. So make sure when you give feedback - it comes from you. That means not saying things like - "The company doesn't like their employees to speak to customers like that." Or - "It's not up to me but you'd better improve your performance or you'll be in trouble."

You need to use lots of "I" messages. Get personally involved, say things like - "I liked the way you told that customer that you would deal with their problem yourself." Or - "I'm unhappy with the way to told that customer that it wasn't your responsibility." Or - "I believe there's another way to do that job."

6. Focus on one thing at a time - Don't confuse your team member with a whole list of behaviours. If it's Confirming feedback then you don't want to be saying - "I like the way you handle customers and your reports are always done on time and it's great that you're achieving your target." You're only diluting the whole feedback and it loses its impact.

If you're giving Productive feedback then you don't want to confuse your team member with a whole catalogue of behaviours that you're unhappy about. Sadly this seems to be the case with managers who don't give feedback on poor behaviour immediately. They allow things to go on and on and then they eventually explode. It's much better to deal with behaviour as and when it happens.

7. Be specific - When you are giving one of your team some feedback and coaching them - it's so important to focus on job related behaviour and not on the personality of the individual.

If you feel a bit uncomfortable giving feedback, try to focus on the person's behaviour on the job in terms of how they conducted a particular task. That's what you're giving feedback on, not them as a person.

It becomes easier if you're using "I" messages and being very descriptive about what you've seen or heard. You could say something like - "I liked the way you tided up the workshop after you finished that job - thank you Fred." You're trying to get the balance between being human but also businesslike.

8. Include the customer and the organisation - Whenever appropriate -relate what your feedback is about to how the customer was affected. This of course could be an internal or an external customer. You could also relate it to how the organisation was affected, if relevant

9. Get input - When giving Productive feedback, it's important to get the team members input. You might say - "I'm unhappy that this is the third time this month that your report has been late Joanne. However I'm willing to listen to what you have to say and discuss how we can resolve this situation."

10. Don't leave them low - This is particularly important after giving Productive feedback. As I said earlier, this isn't an attack on the person; it's about job related behaviour. A team member should come out of a Productive feedback session with their sense of self-worth intact.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivating your team! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical things you can do to get the best out of your people. Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

ohare limo service Grand Rapids ..

In The News:

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the science behind the Invisibility Shield, a 6-foot shield that makes people become invisible.

The International Olympic Committee on Friday announced plans to use AI in various Olympic aspects, including athlete identification, training and judging.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains an easy trick to avoid squinting while working or surfing the web by zooming in on your personal computer.

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI is warning the public about a recent phishing scam via text that claims its targets owe money in Pennsylvania for unpaid road toll charges.

Your Apple Music settings may be revealing to your contacts what you're listening to. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the process to change those settings.

Learn how to secure social media accounts, implement legacy contacts, and create a digital estate plan to protect your online assets from 'ghost hackers' after your death.

A ported phone number scam is leading to more people having their identities stolen by sophisticated scammers. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what you need to know.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vast marine debris vortex, is being tackled by The Ocean Cleanup’s innovative technologies. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Discover easy solutions to tame autocorrect frustration on iOS and Android devices. Turn off, customize and add personal touches to your typing experience.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals the six top things to do right now before it’s too late: Tech and life choices that can keep your safer on and offline.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you some simple steps to discreetly hide apps or an entire app page on your iPhone for decluttering or confidentiality.

The ambient light sensors on smartphones may be turned into cameras, according to researches at MIT. This could pose a threat to people's privacy.

The Autonomous Road Repair System from tech firm Robotiz3d uses artificial intelligence technology to locate potholes and promptly seal them.

Scammers have stooped to using artificial intelligence to scan obituary websites to create fake obituary websites to target the grieving.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing factory in Hungary is using humanoid robots to help with human staffing shortages on the factory floor.

Some video games act like unregulated banks, according to CFPB, which has begun monitoring the situation. The agency says children may be most at risk.

Ascender the robot is capable of climbing stairs with heights up to 8.7 inches, and it can give every corner of your home a deep cleaning.

Tax-return scams are on the rise, and one tax expert from a cybersecurity firm says filing your taxes on time is one way to avoid tax scams.

The innovative XPENG Robot Unicorn is inspired by the mythical unicorn, and you may forget the robot is not actually a living creature.

Feedback - How to Make it Effective

Team Building