Managing Performance Through Feedback THE KEY STEPS TO EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK Organise, prepare and set a positive atmosphere
Connect the person’s contribution to the big pic-
Practice what you preach and be a positive role model Always show respect but be explicit about what behavioural change is needed Give explicit feedback on performance not opinions on personality
Adapt your style to suit the circumstances
Really listen and ask probing questions
Stay adult when faced with negative emotional reactions
Let the person map out their own route
Follow things up, praise progress, provide challenge and support QRG 7
1. Organise, prepare and set the a positive atmosphere Don’t jump in feet first, think things through and identify factors that will help or hinder you. Look at the check list at the end. 2. Connect the person’s contribution to the big picture People are more likely to change behaviour and enhance performance if they can see how this contributes to improved job performance. For example the dynamic nature of the organisation means people’s demands on the department are continually changing. How they are treated by individuals in the Department is important as well as the quality of what we deliver. 3. Practice what you preach and be a positive role model All too often staff perceive a lack of congruity between the behaviour of the manager and the espoused values of the organisation. For example collaboration and knowledge sharing is preached but at departmental meetings the manager deliberately holds back some information which could enhance the performance of a colleague’s team. Staff quickly notice when actions do not live up to the words. 4. Always show respect but be explicit about what behavioural change is needed You need to be able to develop what is called “positive regard” for the person if you are to influence behavioural change. This means showing that you value, respect and accept the other person as a person even though there is some behaviour they can change to improve performance – they are OK but some aspects of their behaviour are not. Positive regard means focusing on the person’s behaviour rather than their personality. To do this think carefully before the meeting: • Identify strengths not just weaknesses • Remember that everyone has reasons for behaving the way they do • Think of a time when you felt good about them and use this as a specific example 5. Give explicit feedback on performance, not opinions on personality The key to explicitness is the ability to define, in unambiguous behavioural terms exactly what performance is positive and to be encouraged, and what is a problem and needs to be changed. This means detailing the actual behaviours not making generalised statements.
For example “you need to work on your customer relations” is not effective as it gives nothing specific for the person to latch onto. “It could be a good idea to try to improve contact with customers by ringing them back to check they are happy with our response” might be more effective. 6. Adapt your style to suit the circumstances Your style needs to suit both the person and the circumstances. Some people want a lot of detail and then to go away and think about it while, others want the overall picture immediately and are only interested in the detail if they have to change something. You need to adapt to these preferences if you are going to get through to the person. 7. Really listen and ask the probing questions Effective listening is not a passive skill. If you wish to really understand what is being said, explore further feelings and attitudes or encourage the person to say more, then you need to demonstrate certain behaviours yourself. Show the person you are listening by using non verbal signals: • Alert and attentive posture but not invading the speaker’s space • You need to have eye contact when the speaker looks – but not a glassy eyed stare! • Nod and “grunt” to show understanding to encourage the speaker to say more • Smile, frown, show concern at the right moments These will show you are interested, then back it up to demonstrate understanding by from time to time paraphrasing what has been said: • “Do you mean that…?” • “As I understand it, what you’re saying is…” As well as checking understanding like this it is also helpful to check your perceptions of the importance of what the person is saying: • “That must have been awkward for you” • “I bet that really annoyed you” If you are wrong it will help clarify: “No. I was more frustrated than annoyed. It wasn’t their fault” Summarising can be another useful technique – break into a long story: • “Hang on a sec, what we’ve got so far is…” • “OK, so the order of events was…”
Ask questions that will get the person to talk — not “closed” questions to which they can answer yes or no: Q “Is the re-organisation of the filing going OK” A “Yes!” Q “What are you doing about re-organising the filing?” A “Well I started by getting rid of all the duplicate stuff and now ….” This will give a much better chance of finding out what the person has actually done and why. You can keep it going by chipping in with prompts like “what happened then?” 8. Stay adult when faced with negative emotional reactions We’ve all got “blind spots” and therefore may not realize that we demonstrate ineffective behaviours. So your feedback on performance could come as a shock and lead to different kinds of emotional response. Hence the need to be explicit, draw on facts, give examples and avoid passing personal judgements. They may not agree with your facts so rather than imposing your version on the discussion agree to monitor in the future. This gives them an incentive to prove you wrong by adopting the desired behaviour. The point is not to “win” the argument at the meeting – that will probably just demotivate: • Challenging – defuse the aggression, lower your voice, stick to questions only for a time; say something positive about the person. • Hurt silence – allow emotional expression. Ask how they feel about an issue and demonstrate that it’s OK to show emotion – “That’s OK, it’s how you feel, tell me about it…” Give some praise and as soon as you can, turn the conversation to the future. • Taking my ball home – this needs to be dealt with: “I feel you’ve switched off…” and then ask questions to push them down the challenging route as above. • Dependency – don’t do all the work for them. Prompt – “What could you do to improve…?” and be prepared to sit out silences, wait for answers and push them into taking an active role.
9. Let the person map out their own route We want people to use initiative so using a “directing” style to outline action is counter the desired culture and should be only a last resort. The approach should be one of joint problem solving: • Agree areas where behaviour needs enhancing. • Ask for their ideas on where they could improve. • Give good examples of shortfall and make clear what the change needed will look like. • Ask for their view on the examples and reflect back what they say – emphasise positive regard. • Ask for ideas on how to improve. They will be more likely to commit to their own solutions. Show your faith that they can improve. • Allow them to show you they can do it. Agree targets and ways of monitoring their success. 10. Follow things up, praise progress, provide challenge and support Effective feedback is not confined to the day and the place an interview takes place. It is as important to follow up and show that you are interested after the meeting as it is to do so during it. As well as agreeing how you are going to monitor progress also agree when you are going to discuss it. This will help to keep the person up to the mark and also ensures that you have agreed facts about their performance during the year – otherwise there is the danger in a year’s time that your perceptions will be quite different from the other person’s. Effective management should involve regular informal feedback during the course of day to day activities but it is important – particularly when areas for improvement have been identified to have some more formal, prepared, stock taking meetings. How many depends on circumstance but often quarterly meetings will be a great help in keeping things on track without being overbearing
Handling difficult emotions in others
And finally Remember this checklist when you come to the interview with the jobholder:
Will you react or respond? If we react to others defensively by attacking or withdrawing, conflict often increases. If, instead, we respond appropriately, we can help to bring the emotions to a level at which the issues can be dealt with more constructively. Try the following: Receive Listen and say nothing for the moment. Give the other person room to discharge emotions. Respect the other person’s communication of feelings.
Things which help
Preparation Being and looking well prepared
Being or looking unprepared
Clarifying the purpose of the meeting and how it will run
Lacking clarity of purpose or method
Being clear and systematic
Being disjointed and/or muddled
Notice Observe your own reaction.
Process
Centre Tune into yourself. Breathe deeply. Listen again Ask yourself what you are picking up from the communication. Separate feelings from content. Strain out what is valid and let at least some abuse pass you by. Reflect back Reflect both feelings and content. “Let me check with you if…” “Is what you are saying…?”
Repeat the cycle Ensure that both feelings and facts are mutually understood.
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Using clear questions/ statements Allowing the person to finish their replies
Using confusing questions/statements Interrupting while the person is talking
Being attentive and genuinely listening
Showing lack of interest
Encouraging the person to talk and generate solutions
Talking too much
Speaking with a clear voice
Irritating characteristics of speech/manner Atmosphere
Clarify and explore What are the other person’s needs and concerns? Explore what is behind the words being used. Ask questions to shift the focus from anger to exploring issues.
Move Acknowledge needs and concerns. Consider the next step, e.g. develop options, make an “I” statement, take time out.
Things which hinder
Relaxed
Tense
Putting the person at ease Understanding the person’s viewpoint/ fears Respecting the person and their self -esteem
Creating more tension in the person
Engaging the person
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Being indifferent to the person’s views/feelings Undermining the person’s confidence Being distant and impersonal
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