A Better Way to Give Feedback on Employee Performance - Leaders Letters August 2010

Leaders Letters A Leadership Resource

Edition 14. August 2010

A Better Way to Give Feedback on Employee Performance Orange County Better Business Journal, Brett Good n a perfect world, you would never have to correct or criticize your employees. Your staff would perform their jobs flawlessly, without errors or oversights.

Project teams would function with the ease and efficiency of a well-engineered machine. There would be no miscommunication, omissions, misplaced files or missed deadlines. Productivity would soar.

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Unfortunately, managers can only dream about this Utopian workplace environment. The reality is that mistakes and shortcomings are an inevitable part of our lives. As the old saying goes, nobody's perfect. From time to time, you'll have to give an employee less thanpositive feedback about his or her work. There's a wrong way and a right way to criticize. The wrong way will demoralize the individual and create an environment of fear in the workplace. The right way preserves the person's dignity while turning the mistake into a learning opportunity. Here's how to do it right every time.

This doesn't mean sugar-coating the criticism by using euphemisms or vague language, be clear.

Focus on facts Address the problem, not your feelings about it. For example, if an employee chronically misses project deadlines, instead of saying, "I'm sick of you turning in your work late," communicate how the behavior negatively impacts workflow and impedes efficiency for the group.

Control your emotions Check your temper and wait until you're calm enough to deliver dispassionate feedback.

Be specific Even if the staff member repeats a mistake he or she has made once before, focus on the most current instance and offer guidelines to correct the problem.

Stay on track

Keep it professional If you want the employee to be open to the criticism you're about to offer, don't put them on the defensive by blaming, shaming and finger pointing. And remember to criticize in private, never in front of other people.

Be direct Say what you mean in a polite but straightforward way.

Write down ahead of time the key points you want to make in a discussion so you don't go off on a tangent or forget something important.

Get the employee's side of the story After you've made your comments, give the other person a chance to explain what led to the error. You may be unaware of extenuating circumstances.

Recognize a job done right Providing criticism is important, but don't become a negative manager who comments only when someone makes a mistake. Praise is also an effective tool for reinforcing positive employee behaviors. Unlike critical feedback, praise should be given frequently and publicly and is a powerful motivational tool that inspires employees to do their best.

It can be challenging to strike the right balance between correction and encouragement when you criticize an employee. But if you know the right way to criticize, you'll not only be able to correct the mistake but also give the employee the guidance needed to make changes that will benefit your entire organization.

How to Handle Difficult Conversations www.associatedcontent.com, Jack Junier emember the old adage, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?" Wouldn't it be nice if we could abide by that rule in the workplace? The simple fact is that, as managers, we can’t. An essential part of management is telling people what they don't want to hear. The trick is doing it in a productive way that resolves your issue without demoralizing your staff. Read on for simple tips to having difficult conversations.

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Talk Privately Addressing any issue with an employee in public is a bad idea. You'll lose credibility as a leader and instantly put your employee on the defensive.

Lead with the Good Surely your employee has enjoyed some success that you can praise him for. Start with this praise, so your employee understands that you recognize his value.

Depersonalize the Issue No good will come of a conversation that can be perceived as an attack. This may sound like overused advice, but clumsy handling of sensitive situations can happen even in the most enlightened workplace.

Be Prepared Don't expect your employee to be automatically motivated to fix the problem. Have an action plan ready, including the ideal resolution to the issue and the steps you'll take to help your employee get there.

Be Clear When you point out the problem behavior, explain the consequences that may not be recognized by your employee. Make him fully aware of your point of view, and be sure he understands why his behavior is harmful.

Listen Your employee may have concerns about how you expect him to handle things. Listen to his point of view, and paraphrase back to him to be sure you understand.

Validate his opinions, and be open-minded enough to change your action plan if a compromise is warranted. If your employee is off base, now is the time to coach him so he understands why he needs to be on board with your point of view.

End with the Good Reiterate the action plan, as well as your earlier compliments. It's very important to reinforce your employee's perception that you care enough to understand him fully. Close the conversation with a sincere statement of your belief in your employee's ability to meet expectations.

Most employees, even those resistant to change, want to excel at their work. Keep these tips in mind when discussing difficult issues, and your conversation will be much smoother and more productive for it.

Leaders Letters are produced by the Corporate and Finance Division. They are distributed to m em bers of the Senior Leaders Group and posted to the CSSL-public shared drive. For inform ation contact 368-4900.