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Performance management. Many of us dread doing it. Most of us have mixed experiences of receiving it. But with hybrid working here to stay, only leaders who commit the time to keep in touch with their direct reports – to agree clear goals, tackle ‘live’ issues, support and encourage – will achieve results.
Now more than ever, communication is the key. And key to communication is effective feedback.
So how do you do you that?
3 simple steps to feedback success
Use these tips to prepare for your next feedback session. By investing the time – and understanding how to give and seek objective feedback – you avoid assumptions, surface bright ideas and resolve challenging issues as they arise. Barriers are removed by meaningful conversation, directly unlocking growth and success.
1. Make it multi-directional
Keep feedback two-way in a one-to-one dialogue; in group settings, invite everyone to share insights and ideas.
Give feedback as leader manager and seek the input of others in any feedback dialogue.
Take responsibility for drawing out others’ thoughts to better understand their perceptions and desires.
2. Keep it constructive
Feedback should be given with positive intent — that is, an intention to be helpful.
Feedback should be neutral and fact-based – judgemental feedback almost invariably creates damage, in either the short or long term.
Feedback should be objective and focus on behaviours – what a person actually says or does rather than what those behaviours might ‘mean’.
3. Be purposeful
Reinforce what is working.
Redirect what is not working.
Renegotiate around the goal and/or the methods for achieving it.
Want more useful tips? Download our free feedback preparation tool and cheat sheet here to start leading effective performance management conversations.
