Say It, Don’t Save it.
My first leadership position was to lead a team that I had previously been part of. That was all well and good until someone in my team needed to be spoken to about their performance! Dry gulp moment! My ‘Please People’ Driver went into overdrive and I couldn’t find the right words to get my message across. What was the outcome of dancing around the subject? My team member was none the wiser about what they had to do to improve their performance, followed by a telephone call from my line manager asking me what my plans were to correct the issue.
There have been many “dry gulp” moments in my leadership career, and even in my personal life since then and I have learned over and over again the importance of being clear to be kind. Brene Brown is right “Clear is Kind, unclear is unkind”
As a new leader, one of your most critical responsibilities is to foster a positive and productive work environment, and whether you enjoy doing it or not, a key component of this is providing timely and constructive performance feedback to your employees. It’s part of the gig!
This helps improve their performance and strengthens your relationship with them contributing to a more engaged and motivated team.
When you are leading a team that has an element of underperformance within it everyone is looking to you as the leader to address it. Your line manager, the other people in your team, and perhaps even the person themselves!
It is worth practising and mastering this skill for many reasons. Creating a culture of honest and open communication will build trust and encourage your team to speak up and take on new challenges without fear of reproach. Regular feedback gives clarity and encourages growth. Knowing what your strengths are, and what you need to improve on is worthwhile for everyone.
Here are some tips for Giving Effective Feedback:
Be Specific: Avoid vague or general statements. Instead, provide concrete examples of the employee's behaviour or work product.
Be well intentioned: Rather than criticizing the employee personally, focus on their behaviour or actions. This is about tackling the ball, not the player. You never want to have an impact on their confidence and self-belief.
Be Timely: Don't wait too long to provide feedback. The sooner you address an issue, the easier it will be to resolve. If you have a pet or a small child that needs “feedback” for something that they need to change or do differently; you don’t save it up for a mid-year review, do you? The sooner, the better, so that the connection between the action and the need for course correction is clearly made. It also shortcircuits the time spent mulling it over in your mind.
Be Constructive: Offer suggestions for improvement, rather than simply pointing out flaws. This is not the opportunity to “get something off your chest” and damage your team member's confidence. Make sure you are entering the conversation with the right mindset and with the intention to support and understand.
Be quiet: Give the employee a chance to respond to your feedback and address any concerns they may have. You might be addressing a blind spot – in other words, this might be the first time they have heard something that needs to be addressed. (We have another Blog on the importance of silence, “Haud Yer Wheest” if you’d like to read more about this)
Be prepared: Here are 6 C’s to help you prepare for a performance feedback conversation.
Curious – what’s my intention and mindset?
Context – what are the facts surrounding the event?
Consequences – what was the impact?
Change – what would you like to be different?
Continue – what would you like to be the same?
Coaching – what support is required?
Remember: Giving feedback is a skill that takes practice. None of us were born with this leadership muscle fully developed. By following these guidelines, you can become a more effective leader and help your employees reach their full potential. How about getting some feedback on how well you give feedback?! You’re learning too!
