EPISODE 2
When giving feedback we have been trained to always focus on the gap, address areas of improvement and point out weaknesses.
In this newsletter we will explore why, if the the purpose of feedback is to help our team grow and bring their best to work, we seem not to be getting the results we want.
This episode presents three alternative mindsets that will help you get feedback right:
You will also find additional resources to expand your knowledge and actionable tips to apply on your daily leadership practice.
You'll probably notice that you won't find anything about negative feedback. In my opinion, we have been talking about negative feedback way too long, and it's about time we consider different approaches.
If at least one of these resonates with you, I encourage you to try it in your next feedback conversation and see what happens...
Let's jump right in!
Research has proven that our own measurement of a competency (e.g. project management) will depend on the understanding we have of it. It will also vary when we assess different people (idiosyncratic rater effect).
So, feedback is never objective. When we provide feedback, we are talking about our own experience and feelings about the performance of others. It is, then, extremely important to understand that we do not hold the truth or the facts, just a tainted version of what happened.
Therefore, whenever you give feedback try to convey it as your experience. Some examples:
There's a limiting belief called the theory of excellence that states that great performance is universal and, once described, we could teach it to anyone. Competency models, leadership profiles, performance management processes; they are all designed to describe what great performance should look like.
Research found there are three main shortcomings to this theory:
If you tell a person exactly how to perform their job, you will probably get an adequate result. But, would you get their highest level of performance? The answer is usually no.
If you want feedback to become a learning moment, don't focus on gaps. Focus on the great results people are achieving, and tune them up during feedback. Some examples:
Dedicate your feedback time to explore how excellent and great look like.
Once a great leader told me "you'll never turn a weakness into a strength". She was right.
Strengths are not only those things you do right, but also the ones that give you energy. On the opposite direction, a weakness can be something you are really good at, but drains your energy; e.g. you can be excellent at analyzing data but hate analytics.
If you want to build a high performance team, focus your feedback and development actions on strengths:
WORSKHOPGetting Feedback RightHow to boost performance and engagement through powerful conversations |
Want to train your leaders on how to provide feedback through these three mindsets? This workshop provides the necessary framework and the correct practice to enable leaders to provide feedback that moves the performance and engagement needles.
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This episode was inspired by great resources from excellent experts. Check them out to expand your knowledge!
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