How Good Is Your Feedback?

Before you give feedback to one of your team members, make sure that you understand the situation fully. Read their job description and objectives, and also look at past performance reviews   to see what comments have already been made.

Also, write regular performance notes to refresh your memory before a feedback session, and include positive events, as well as opportunities for improvement.

Finally, gather information from a variety of sources, so that your feedback is as objective as possible. Some organizations use 360-Degree Feedback   to get input from everyone who works with the person. Or, you can simply gather comments from other managers whose work is affected.

It's important to structure feedback effectively, so that people understand the impact of their actions. Use the Situation - Behavior - Impact Tool   to give specific examples of behavior that needs to change.

People perform better when they have positive interactions, so structure feedback sessions in such a way that you make more positive comments than negative. Read our article on the Losada Ratio   to learn more about how to balance your comments, so that people see your feedback in a positive way. (Although the statistics behind the Losada Ratio model are in doubt now, the principle is not.)

Timeliness is another important feature of feedback. Don't wait too long to tell people what you thought about their performance in a specific situation, whether positive or negative. For example, if you see someone doing a great job, give praise   right away.

Feedback helps people understand how they contribute to organizational objectives, and how they can add value   .

Use management by objectives   , key performance indicators   , and goal setting to link team members' work to organizational strategy. You can also use the Pyramid of Purpose   and the Hoshin Planning System   to explain how their work links to larger objectives.

Then, ask team members what resources they need so that they can contribute to organizational goals.

Part of the purpose of feedback is to provide opportunities for development. However, many people view feedback negatively: if they have something to improve, then they may feel that they have failed in some way.

If your team members are anxious about feedback, listen to their concerns carefully, and with empathy.

Reassure your people that giving feedback is part of your responsibility as a manager. It's your job to help your people do their best, and, as part of that, you'll regularly discuss their developmental needs   . Make sure they know that this will be a collaborative process – you'll need their input so that you can help them reach their professional development goals.

Feedback is not a one-time activity – it's part of an ongoing conversation about expectations. This is particularly important when you need to see significant improvement from someone.

In this situation, think about creating performance agreements   . These outline what you expect, and they set out the consequences of not delivering this. Performance agreements should not be punitive. Instead, they help people to see – and agree – what you want, and to take responsibility for delivering this.

In turn, it's your responsibility to track performance – ideally using agreed and specific metrics – and to follow up if agreed changes don't happen.

If you need to manage poor performance   , look over your feedback notes to pinpoint possible problems. Have people had the right training and development? Has it been followed through? Do they have all of the resources and equipment that they need?