Providing effective feedback to your team – some handy tips
Giving frequent and effective feedback is one of the best ways to improve your team.
There are many ways to do this: ranging from one-on-one meetings to performance reviews, or even a simple conversation at the water cooler.
And whether it is positive or negative feedback, it is worth remembering that the main aim is that it is actionable information about how someone is doing in meeting specific goals.
Without feedback, it is highly likely your teams won’t know if they are performing well or not.
Thus, helpful feedback not only guides employees, but is crucial to being a successful manager.
There are three key points to remember about feedback:
- It should be specific and fact-based
- It should be sensible and focus on employee development
- It should be ongoing and not just a one-time event.
A good example of useful feedback might be where someone has got into the habit of interrupting and may not realise the effect this has on their teammates.
Or the case where an employee has taken the initiative on a project and decides, after positive feedback, to continue being proactive.
Of course, the ultimate goal of giving feedback is to support and help the employee.
It is also important to offer the feedback soon after the incident, and to keep it going.
Lastly, where the situation is emotional or stressful, it is fine to wait until both parties have calmed down.
By Mike Peeters
