The Truth About Negative Feedback

Employees want development and developmental feedback. Every legitimate, broad-based survey from the past ten years confirms that as a fact.

Here's the challenge: most managers aren't very skilled at developing people over the long-term.

The data show that, although managers acknowledge the importance of development, they are usually ranked near the bottom in terms of there effectiveness and attention to "development." Related to this is the ability to deliver critical feedback, also a skill that receives a consistently low rating. In all fairness, colleagues and others in the organizational food chain aren't really any better when the data are analyzed. (Makes sense. Colleagues and others are also executives, managers, and supervisors).

What About High Potentials?

In a study done by Kaplan et al., in 1991, the findings revealed that high potential employees, especially executives, receive less feedback than others. (Subsequent research yields the same information). When high-po's do get feedback, it's more along the lines of how terrific they are. Feedback to high potentials is seldom specific and their bosses even tend to skip over the formal, face-to-face, yearly performance appraisal. We should all be so fortunate.

What to Do?

OK, let's agree that delivering pointed, negative feedback is uncomfortable for most people. It must be, otherwise there'd be more of it. 

The easiest way I know of to "get honest and developmental" is to sit down and agree on a set of specific skills or competencies needed to achieve strategic objectives. In general, we all lean toward the notion that skills can be developed and, when they are, it will bump up performance. Taking this approach makes it easier to discuss specific performance issues because each is tied to a skill that was agreed to at the outset.

Sure, it takes thoughtfulness and face time. If you need a little more motivation, research also shows that employees rate managerial/executive performance, in part, on the relationship established with direct reports. 

The very act of sitting down together is experienced as an indicator of managerial competency.

Comments

[Brandon Jones]

Steve,
This is a great post. Knowing that this issue exists, managers must set up a system to effectively give their employees feedback. They must set up specific metrics that they will review with their employees regularly until they master them. From the perspective of an employee, you must diligently ask for feedback so you can improve your weak areas. Change is a key to improvement that comes from feedback. Thanks, Brandon

[Kyu]

I agree with this post.It is common in organizations for managers to give positive feedback. It is giving the negative ones that aren't. True, it is a bit uncomfortable to sit down with an employee and point out things that need to be improved. But it does not have to be that way. Constructive criticism as the term suggests should be done in a manner that still encourages the receiver to improve himself. When sitting down with an employee, managers can point out positive feedback first. Or you can start with.."It is good that you do this but maybe next time try to do this instead" or "You will really be much more productive if you do this". Managers can also schedule evaluations where the employees themselves assess their performance.Thus, during the "sit-down", they are already prepared to hear the manager's assessment. Both the manager and the employee will not feel uneasy with giving and receiving negative feedback but instead will welcome it. Moreover,talks like these will surely improve the relationship between the manager and his employees.

Check out this article on building relationships with your team through conversations like these. Read http://www.developleadership.net/Skills-Strategies/timeless-wisdom-for-modern-leaders-lead-through-building-relationships.html

[Courtney Neibel]

I also agree with this post. As an operations supervisor in my organization, I have found it difficult to give constructive criticism and negative feedback, especially to new employees. After training the new employees myself, and then checking their work to make sure it was accurate, I almost felt like I was "picking" on the employee, even though that was not intended at all.

I agree with the last post, as well, that it is beneficial to schedule evaluations where the employees assess their own performance; it helps to hear the employee's point of view and to also get the employee to realize their own shortcomings, without pointing out every single thing they may be doing wrong.

I have begun monthly sit-down meetings with my new employees to assess their progress, and to chat a bit about anything new that has come up or questions they may have. It really seems to make the negative criticism a little less painful for all of us.

[Steve Roesler]

Courtney

You've figured out an approach that will help you and your employees big-time.

The best manager I ever had was one that met with each of us monthly. The manager and I would show up with a single piece of handwrittten notebook paper of what each of us was working on, the desired results, and what we needed from each other. That led to a discussion of which priorities had changed, which hadn't, how each of us perceived my progress, etc. We'd photocopy them and then revised them for the next meeting in 30 days. The result: No surprises, informal discussions, and feedback that was timely, which gave me the ability to alter my performance, if needed. When it came time for the "official" deadly annual performance review, there was never a single surprise. It was the accumulation of 12 months of notebook pages that had already been thoroughly discussed. (It eliminated the one-time, potential "dump" that many fear).

Keep up the good work. . .

[Jean-Marie Jobs]

Thanks so much for this article. It is an awesome reminder to give honest feedback. It is for the absolute benefit of the person receiving the feedback. Not that it is right or wrong, but just that, feedback.

[Greer Peel]

I agree with you completely on negative feedback. It seems like so many people, including myself, are unable to effectively give constructive criticism. In my experiences there are three different groups of individuals and the style of critisism or no criticism they give. The first category are individuals who always have negative comments to make about performance. These individauls create an atmosphere that becomes hard to work in and the individuals who work under them become skittish, afraid of making a mistake on their task. The second category are those who are capable of giving effective criticism as discussed in the article. The third category consists of individuals who do not give little to no criticism. The last category is probably the worst, in my opinion, due to the individuals working under them are not recieving effective feedback on their performance. There is not one employee who is able to perform their job function 100% perfectly, therefore individuals need feedback.

[Mile High Pixie]

Steve, excellent point. I consistently get great marks on my performance reviews and never get any even remotely negative comments...and it makes me nervous. What happens if I'm passed over for a promotion (economy notwithstanding)? On what basis would that rejection be made? It's almost as if the managers at my firm are shooting themselves in the foot by being unwilling to provide any feedback less than 100% to me. (Or perhaps they're waiting for the economy to get better to promote me, but I'm not so sure...)

[Jonathan Greene]

I think as a good "high potential" employee you have to take the bull by the horns from time to time and force that conversation. I'll frequently sit down with decision makers above my pay grade and ask for hard feedback. If you have the proper attitude about the feedback you can use it as ammunition to increase your performance. It's a win-win.

[Donna]

In my workplace, the Press Ganey Employee Satisfaction survey is completed annually, and the results are published for all to see. The overwhelming #1 issue was "My direct manager does not communicate with his/her employees." In every department in which there was a 50% dissatisfaction rate (or greater), the department manager had a facilitator come in for meetings with the employee group to discuss specifics and come up with action plans.(In my opinion, why use a facilitator?? We are professional people that can speak openly about what is lacking...) What is sorely missing in my department is management of meaning;any relational connection whatsoever, between manager and employee is non-existent. Therefore, the idea of constructive, productive feedback is non-existant. Transactional managers, who manage by exception, and base their practice on contingent reward leave much to be desired in the workplace. With organizations (particularly health care systems, of which I am a part) facing increasing demands to do more with less, transformational management practices are needed for a department or group of employees to buy into the vision, mission and goals of the organization. Managers can only provide feedback, positive or negative, if they are present, interacting, and committed to the development of the team collectively, and each member individually. As a professional, I want to know that someone cares enough to address areas of my work that are lacking, whether it be knowledge base, technical skills or people skills.

[Jim Richardson]

Wow!! I really needed that information. My most recent employer might even need it more. It was my first ever job in a phone call center and it was disastrous for me. Lots of negative feedback, daily in fact, for the most part. They called it “coaching”, that sounds prettier. Although some tricks, tips and techniques were offered the problem was more fundamental. It's important to have reference material regarding job tasks readily available and organized in some fashion, preferably on paper or in one single drive. Being able to refresh oneself on or clarify the company policies and standard operating procedures helps a willing employee to stay within those boundaries. So glad you brought out this topic. It's “ouchy”, but very present in a lot of organizations.

[Steve Roesler]

Jean-Marie

Indeed, you are spot on. When given as a description, along with the impact, it is information on which someone can choose to act--or not.

[jude potter]

Let me start by saying nice post. Im not sure if it has been talked about, but when using Chrome I can never get the entire site to load without refreshing many times. Could just be my computer.
I agree with your opinion, honesty is often hurt to say even it has important value.
And I'm sorry with my bad english. Thanks

[leo zandro]

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