A cognitive psychologist and research scientist, Dr. Therese Huston is the founder of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University. She is a consultant and speaker who has honed her training to focus on how the way we think affects us in our careers and is the author of three books on this subject.
Here, she shares how to approach giving constructive feedback in the workplace…
Don’t avoid it
“The statistics show that 44% of managers dread giving feedback and 21% just avoid it altogether. Meanwhile, 65% of workers say they want more feedback. It is so important for your employees to get this advice. One of the key motivators at work is that we need to feel like we're making progress. Without this kind of contact, your employees will begin to feel invisible.”
Don’t be afraid to be ‘the bad guy’
“People hate giving negative feedback because they don’t want to crush someone’s soul. This is especially true during Covid19. But feedback is how your employees grow and improve- it is helping them, not crushing them. Also, without it, managers it often write someone off instead of helping them get better at something. This, in the long run, is far worse. Doing that is what makes you ‘the bad guy.’”
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Lead with listening, not talking
“You should ask your employee how they felt they did at a certain task, or a particular assignment. Let them lead and then you can give your input. That way, it might give them a chance to give their perspective on something without it seeming defensive. It also perfectly frames what you are saying as a conversation with them that is building on what they have to say and showing that their view is important, as opposed to a directive that may seem more daunting.”
State your good intentions
“Feedback is only going to be viewed as constructive if the other person believes you are truly saying this for their own benefit. You need to say your good intentions out loud. It can feel awkward, but it makes a difference. You can simply say: I want you to become better at this, or I want other people to see what an expert you are or whatever it might be. There is specific research from Harvard Business School which shows that as soon as you state your good intentions, the other person is much more open to hearing whatever critical thing you're about to say, even if it’s unwelcome news.”
Acknowledge hard work
“In my research, I have found that 53% of employees said feedback from their manager would have been better if their manager had just acknowledged their hard work. You should caveat anything negative with an awareness of their effort; ‘I saw you working late three nights on this, I really appreciate that. But there's still some more work to do…’ People need to feel seen. Studies have shown that people who don’t hear anything positive from their manager are three-times more likely to quit.”
Understand your employee’s viewpoint
“It is crucial to understand how different people react to feedback- particularly negative feedback. For a lot of people, their work is their identity and so any criticism is going to be taken really personally. And so, it's helpful to realise that something you say, which you may make as a throwaway comment can really sink deeply into someone’s sense of who they are.”
Trust is key
“Trust is the most important facet of a manager-employee relationship. Just because you feel there is trust there, don’t forget it can be broken in a conversation like this. One of the ways that happens is waiting to give the bad news at the very end of a conversation. I completely understand this; you're hoping that maybe the person will say something redeeming so you never have to give the bad feedback. Or it could be that you're trying to work up a good rapport with that person, and until you've got that good rapport going, you're holding off on the bad news. But if you wait, that person feels so betrayed. They feel like you misled them, they feel that perhaps they shouldn't have been as candid with you before you said that and completely blindsided them. You need to be as open as possible from the beginning; that is how you establish and build on trust.”
Side with the person, not the problem
“Ultimately these conversations are about power- the person giving the feedback has it and the person receiving it does not. This can create a bad taste to the conversation but not if you level the playing field by being honest, positive and understanding in the way you approach this. Focus on them and how they can improve. It is about wanting to make the person better at something, not chastising them for creating a problem for you.”
Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback your Superpower by Dr Therese Huston (Random House Business, £14.99) is published on 28 January.
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