Feedback is a complex activity which requires a structured approach to succeed. I guess we all agree on the fact that providing feedback to colleagues and your team allows you to give them an observer’s insight into how they’re performing, as well as recommendations for resolving any issues.
But, for some people, just hearing the words, “Can I give you some feedback?” generates fear and anxiety, being confused in our brain into a negative perception of what is going to happen this being related to the fact that the person who is giving the feedback is perceived as superior to the person who receives it, putting the receiver on defence.
While giving and receiving feedback can be a delicate process, there’s no doubting its value and so managers should handle feedback in a positive way so it can do what it’s supposed to do: help improve and grow their people.
How can we make our feedback productive?
Put the person in a safe harbour
People apply the suggestions coming from feedback only few times and this relates to being in an uncomfortable position. If the person receiving the feedback feels uncomfortable, the mechanisms of our brain make the observations, however correct, unproductive.
The remarks you give won’t be productive if you focus on making the other person’s only negatives relevant. Instead, try to create opportunities to build trust and openness.
Be positive, but more than this, be natural.
As a consequence of the previous point, it is important to provide positive (real) feedback at least as much as negative feedback. But not to balance the result, simply to give a fair feedback.
Positive feedback stimulates reward centres in the brain, leaving the recipient open to taking a new direction. Meanwhile, negative feedback indicates that an adjustment needs to be made and threat response and defence are activated. It is not necessary to avoid negative or corrective feedback, just be sure to follow it up with a possible solution or a suggested result.
Focus on specific points and examples
People generally respond better to specific cues. Avoid to be ambiguous and to be personal. And yes, this means feedback requires preparation and data collection throughout the observation period.
Be timely
The adult brain learns best while in the middle of the action, and this is the key to make feedback relevant. If you wait months to tell someone that performance is problematic, is too late because to make it an effective suggestion relies on memory, which can be faulty. Productive feedback needs to be provided frequently and timely.
Be tough if needed but consider their point of view
When someone makes a mistake and feedback is needed, ask for their perspective on the situation. Next, provide an objective, specific, and forward-looking feedback encompassing, if possible what is good in the person you have in front. Never eve make it personal.
