Feedback is a great way to help your team gear into high-performance.
As leaders, our team looks to us to help them get better at what they do at work.
Leaders who desire to sustain a "good" relationship with the staff often share how they dread giving negative feedback. Many share that they fear that it would damage the relationship that they have put so much to positively motivate.
On the contrary, many employees view feedback as a gift - be it negative or positive feedback about their performance. As long as the feedback is to help them improve, they want to know. It's a great way for them to gauge how they are doing and make the appropriate adjustments when needed. Positive feedback are often welcomed.
And the surprise? A whopping 92% of employees agree that negative feedback appropriately delivered is highly effective at improving performance.
There is a caveat to this, though. Feedback, especially negative ones, must be skillfully delivered for best impact.
For a leader that drives high performance and engagement, it is a core skill one needs to learn and strengthen.
Caution: The Dangers of Procrastinating Negative Feedback
Many leaders dread giving negative feedback so much that they procrastinate—again and again—until they reach a breaking point, such as performance appraisal time. At this moment, the feedback often comes as a surprise to the recipient, leaving them disappointed. A common reaction is, "Why didn’t my manager tell me this earlier, so I had time to make improvements?"
Tool: The SBI Feedback Framework
One framework that I’ve personally found invaluable in my leadership journey is the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model. It’s simple, yet effective, and keeps the conversation focused on the issue, not the person.
Situation: Briefly describe the situation you're referring to.
Behavior: State the specific behavior you observed.
Impact: Explain why this behavior impacted the outcome.
After delivering the feedback, you can:
Solicit a response from the receiver, allowing for clarification and understanding.
Relate the feedback to the organization's vision and purpose, showing the bigger picture.
Discuss changes the person can make to improve their behavior.
Throughout this process, remember to be self-aware. Prepare well, and deliver the feedback with care, aiming to support the other person. Pay attention to your own emotions, as they can impact the interaction. Delivery is not just about the words; tone and body language matter too.
In Conclusion:
Feedback is a vital skill that leaders can leverage to support team growth. When delivered well, it optimizes your leadership performance and accelerates the development of your team.
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In Support of Leaders
If you'd like to brainstorm proactive ways to support your leaders during these challenging times, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help!
About Coach Wendy Wong
I am #CoachWendyWong, passionate about helping individuals unlock their full potential by building leadership skills creatively through coaching and training across Asia.
Learn More About My Work: Petadiri Leadership
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