Feedback

Hopefully the feedback flow between leaders and team members is regularly ongoing. Much of the ongoing feedback is informal when catching-up on things through the course of the day and during meetings and work activities. When there are formal year-end performance evaluations, the culmination of all these little bits of feedback throughout the year can be consolidated to capture the overall sense of the year and document how the expectations were met and what’s expected in the next year.

A key component of any feedback session is taking a moment to mention the HOW and WHY, so appropriate context is applied to the measuring tool of the review.

Remove the face and name of the person and the intended outcome would almost certainly remain the same. Regardless of who the person is filling the role, the expectations of that particular role is what is being accounted for. What the performance expectations and needs are, and How Well the person meets or exceeds the performance expectations and needs should be reviewed. Also consider What can be done to continue forward progress.

Recognizing the Behaviors and Actions that Demonstrate How Well a person is performing is essential. When people are doing well and setting an example for others to follow as a model of excellence - they should know that and know how they are doing that to reinforce the positive performance. When people are underperforming and not productively contributing to the outcomes as needed - they should know that and how they are detracting from their own success and the success of others. Sharing examples and the impact these examples bring helps the person better understand their performance in their role.

Comments like – do more … do better... keep it up – are not the most helpful. Even for great performers. Incorporate some examples of when they demonstrated the highlighted action and the associated impact for more meaningful feedback sessions.

One possible framework for feedback to explore:

1.What are we doing that shows we are effective in our role?

2.What are we doing or not doing that is getting in our own way of success in our role?

3.What is one thing we can focus on to do that is new/better/different, that would make a positive impact to us and our success in our role?