Employee Feedback: The Key to Effective Communication
Let’s talk about a crucial rule when it comes to giving feedback to employees: don’t assume they can read your mind. It’s important to communicate clearly and directly, so both you and your team can thrive.
When providing feedback, I often find myself expecting my team members to understand what I’m thinking without me expressing it explicitly. But that’s not fair or reasonable. People aren’t mind readers, after all!
Imagine this scenario: You assign a task to one of your employees, and they complete it in a way that doesn’t meet your expectations. Instead of openly discussing the issue, you keep your dissatisfaction to yourself, assuming they should have known better. Meanwhile, your employee remains clueless about their performance and how they can improve.
This lack of communication leads to frustration and misunderstandings, and it hampers progress in the workplace. It’s crucial to bridge this gap by providing regular and constructive feedback.
So, how can you effectively communicate feedback to your employees? Here are a few tips:
- Be clear and specific: Clearly explain what the issue is and how it can be addressed. Avoid vague statements that leave room for interpretation.
- Be compassionate and understanding: Remember that feedback is an opportunity for growth, not a chance to criticize. Approach the conversation with empathy and a desire to help your team member improve.
- Be open to dialogue: Feedback should be a two-way street. Encourage your employees to share their perspective and ideas. This fosters a culture of open communication and mutual respect.
- Provide regular feedback: Don’t wait for formal performance reviews to share feedback. Offer timely and ongoing guidance to ensure continuous improvement.
By following these guidelines, you’ll build a culture of open communication and growth within your team. Remember that effective feedback is essential for developing and maintaining strong working relationships.
So, let’s discard the assumption that people can read our minds. Instead, let’s foster an environment where feedback and communication are valued, allowing everyone to thrive and succeed.
Why is employee feedback important? Well, it helps us figure out if we’re doing well or if we need to make some changes.
As leaders, how we give feedback can either help our businesses or not help at all.
- direct feedback (words from our boss)
- indirect feedback (attitude from our boss)
- nothing
Let’s try to put ourselves in our employees’ shoes for a moment and see what happens with each type of feedback:
Nothing
Getting no feedback from your boss is probably the worst situation because it doesn’t have any positive impact. How can we know if we’re doing a good job or what’s expected of us if we hear nothing?
I’ve heard a lot of employees say that they want to be informed if they’re doing something wrong. They feel like they wouldn’t be doing it if they knew it was wrong. I wonder if their bosses assume that the employee is doing it on purpose, instead of being uninformed or confused. Do these bosses think that the employee just doesn’t care about doing a better job? Is that why they don’t even bother giving feedback?
This is why it’s really important for bosses to give feedback regularly.
I’m not talking about giving praise or making employees feel good. I’m talking about giving helpful feedback so that those who are working hard know they’re on the right track.
Let me tell you why it’s so important for your organization. When we have a goal to achieve, it’s crucial to communicate how well we’re all progressing towards that goal.
My role as a leader is to establish a consistent feedback system within our organization. This way, we can reinforce good behavior and correct bad behavior.
Indirect Feedback – attitude from me, your superior
Indirect feedback is when I communicate non-verbally. You, as an employee, can pick up on my attitude.
If my attitude is positive, it can be almost as effective as direct feedback. You get a sense that you’re doing the right thing. I still believe that words are the best form of feedback, but attitude matters too.
But let me tell you, indirect feedback is just as bad as no feedback at all when the attitude behind it is negative. When I, as an employee, get the sense that my boss is unhappy with my performance but doesn’t explain why, it can leave me feeling threatened and unsure of myself. And believe me, that kind of unease doesn’t just affect me—it can spread throughout the entire organization, impacting how others behave and think.
Now, let’s talk about goals. If an organization has a goal it wants to achieve, it’s the responsibility of leadership to do whatever it takes to guide the team toward that goal. The best way to make progress is through open and direct communication about the challenges we face and the progress we’re making. So, why not just speak up? Let the person know where they’re falling short and work together to come up with an action plan. Trust me, that’s what’s truly best for the organization.
The Power of Direct Feedback – Hearing it from the Boss
I want to talk to you about the importance of giving feedback to employees. Feedback is when I tell the employee how they are doing – whether they are doing well or need to improve. I believe that the best way to give feedback is to do it consistently, not just once a year like some organizations do.
Imagine this: if something is not going well and we wait until the end of the year to tell the employee, that won’t be very helpful, right? So, what I suggest is to create a system where we provide feedback to the team in real-time, as things are happening. This way, we can give both positive and negative feedback right when it’s needed.
Here’s what my plan for giving feedback looks like:
First, if something is not going right, it’s really important that we address it immediately. We don’t want to wait and let the problem get worse. The goal is to solve the problem and reach a resolution as soon as possible. Waiting doesn’t help anyone, especially not the organization.
When things are going well, it’s important to have a plan in place to recognize the accomplishments and efforts of your team members. By having a program or system in place, you can ensure that your team members know they are doing a great job. This positive feedback has a ripple effect, motivating people to do even better and continue their success. Knowing that they are on the right track gives team members a sense of security and encourages them to keep moving forward. It also increases enthusiasm and willingness to contribute when people are aware of how they are performing.
As you work towards your goals, remember to give both praise and constructive criticism. When the goal is the main focus, finding the right words comes naturally. It’s what’s best for everyone involved. Don’t leave the future of your company up to chance or uncertainty.