When it comes to delivering feedback, practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect. Each individual on a team has their own unique preferences for factors like approach and timing, and there is always the possibility that external factors can shift how feedback is received, by even the most steadfast of personalities. There is no doubt, however, that consistency improves relationships; in delivering feedback, that rapport reinforces positive reception.
When building a feedback dynamic with a team member, Kevin Potter, associate manager of accounts receivable at CB Insights, has found that establishing an ongoing dialogue helps to keep communication channels open and welcoming.
“Critical feedback is easier to give if you are constantly engaging in constructive dialogue over time,” he said.
Instead of relying on the dreaded six-month review, keeping feedback consistent and allowing room for informality helps employees improve with consistency, rather than grappling with all of the information that comes in more intensive retrospectives.
One of the most important benefits of that welcoming dialogue is room for constructive criticism.
“Meaningful feedback should be genuine, and is received as more sincere if it’s not always positive,” said David Cao, controller at Rhino.
Striking a balance is key, and while receiving positive feedback is every employee’s goal, a healthy dose of critique is necessary for managers to both encourage employees to grow and also maintain the credibility of their insight.
For David Cao, working off of the personality of each team member helps him structure the best possible delivery for his feedback, enhancing its impact and making meaningful impressions.
As a manager, what can you do to make sure the positive feedback you give is truly meaningful?
Giving positive feedback to your team reassures them that they’re on the right track and are valued. To ensure that this is truly meaningful, it’s also important to consistently deliver not-so-positive feedback. Meaningful feedback should be genuine and is received as more sincere if it’s not always positive. It is also important to remind your team member why the topic of the feedback is important.
“You did a really great job on XYZ” becomes more meaningful when you say, “You did a really great job on XYZ. Now we’re able to do ABC because of the great job you did!” Another way to make feedback meaningful is to get on a video call! Facial expressions and body language can communicate as much as words.
You should leverage what they care about to connect with them during the conversation.”
When offering feedback, how do you adapt your communication style or setting to suit the personality of the employee?
Depending on someone’s personality, there are a few things to consider. Do you believe feedback will surprise the recipient in a negative way? Maybe you should give them a heads-up in advance. Is the individual very analytical? Prepare some data for the conversation. Is the individual very organized by nature? Take some time to prepare and share an agenda. Be prepared — a structured agenda for consistency is important when delivering and receiving feedback, so there’s accountability on both sides. Is the individual on the more junior or senior side? Different levels of experience have different priorities and concerns. You should leverage what they care about to connect with them during the conversation. This list can go on and on. The best practice is always to think it through and use your best judgment.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from giving feedback over the years, that you wished you’d known when you first started as a manager?
Be thoughtful on timing. As a rule of thumb, all the best feedback is done in a timely manner. If you don’t have a one-on-one or touch base within a week, try to connect earlier rather than later. Unpredictable things can happen in the workday (even in a remote world), so try to connect early in the day to avoid zoom fatigue, work fires, etc. When connecting with team members, find a private space, as well as give the recipient a chance to do the same. This can be tough when you’re remote, but more privacy is more likely to encourage an open two-way dialogue.
Speaking of two-way dialogue — you should not be the only one speaking. Take steps to ensure your team member feels that they can respond back with their own thoughts regarding your feedback. Simple lines like, “Am I misinterpreting the situation?” “Are there gaps in what I’m cognizant of?” “What are your thoughts?” are good to encourage a two-way conversation. Finally, always end the meeting by syncing on the next steps. What are the expectations you and your team member want to come out of the conversation? Share those expectations to keep alignment on future progress.
In Potter’s experience, tying feedback to the specific impact helps team members better understand how their actions have enhanced a project, leading to a helpful rubric for future successes.
As a manager, what can you do to make sure the positive feedback you give is truly meaningful?
Coming from a background that may surprise some people (the arts), feedback has always been a critical part of learning and development on both ends of the spectrum — negative and positive. The feedback that always stood out to me, however, was thoughtful, articulated and positive, and directly connected a cause and a reaction. It’s easy to praise someone for a job well done, but often much of that praise is forgotten or diminished over time because it is just congratulatory words.
I’ve found that articulating that someone did something well makes for a more meaningful connection. If someone feels connected to the reason they are being praised, I feel it provides them an honest pathway to continue making strides not only toward satisfactory performance, but also to own their work and replicate it. Feedback shouldn’t just be a dopamine cycle — it should provide people with a means to constantly improve their work, and understand what aspects of their work are making an impact.
Feedback shouldn’t just be a dopamine cycle — it should provide people with a means to constantly improve their work.”
When offering feedback, how do you adapt your communication style or setting to suit the personality of the employee?
I’ve found that feedback is a lot like learning. Just as nobody learns the same way, nobody takes feedback the same way. Some people tend to be visual learners, while others want to learn as they do. My approach is often pedagogical in nature — if I can understand what makes someone tick, I can understand the best way to get a point across in a way that feels natural to them.
Feedback should never be offered in a way that it comes across as “pure feedback,” unless that person responds to outright bluntness. I try to relate to the person I am providing feedback to in a number of ways, such as how they communicate and what their work philosophy is like. By approaching them from a point of view they are familiar with, I am able to bridge the gap between feedback and conversation. While you can come from a place of authority, I’ve found coming from an equal field often tends to get the best results. People are more apt to see eye-to-eye with you if you approach them from a place of familiarity and understanding.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from giving feedback over the years, that you wished you’d known when you first started as a manager?
Giving feedback, especially critical feedback, is hard! But you shouldn’t be afraid to give it as needed. Critical feedback is easier to give if you are constantly engaging in constructive dialogue over time. I try to make a point to offer praise and connect that praise to direct results each week, so when the time comes that I need to provide a more difficult piece of constructive feedback, my colleagues understand I am not coming from a place of disappointment or anger, but one of assistance. Their success is my success!
