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The Art of Giving andReceiving Feedback

Shirley Poertner and Karen Massetti Miller

This preview version of our product is protected by copyrightlaw. Copying or distribution of this file is prohibited.

SAMPLEThe Art ofGiving and Receiving

Feedback

Shirley Poertner and

Karen Massetti Miller

Coastal Training Technologies Corp.500 Studio Drive

Virginia Beach, VA 23452

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The Art of Giving and Receiving FeedbackShirley Poertner and Karen Massetti MillerCopyright 1996 by Coastal Training Technologies Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of thepublisher.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regardto the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the authornor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service.If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competentprofessional should be sought.

Credits:Coastal Training Technologies Corp.: Arthur Bauer

Todd McDonaldEsther Vanier

Managing Editor: Karen Massetti MillerDesigner: Gayle OBrienCover Design and Illustration: Kevin Zdenek

Published by Coastal Training Technologies Corp. 500 Studio DriveVirginia Beach, VA 23452

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 96-84566Poertner, Shirley and Massetti Miller, Karen The Art of Giving and Receiving Feedback

Printed in the United States of America1997ISBN 1-884926-53-3

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IntroductionGood communication tops most peoples lists of important workplace skills.Though business offices, retail establishments, and shop floors are relying moreand more on complex electronic equipment, not all of the information employeesneed is found online and in databases. Effective person-to-person communicationis more important than ever as teams form and storm, management becomesmore egalitarian, and employees learn to work cross-functionally.

One of the most important person-to-person communication skills is the ability togive and receive feedback effectively. It is also one of the most challenging. Noamount of sophisticated technology can diminish the anxiety supervisors, teamleaders, and team members can feel when faced with a feedback session. Perhapsyou have experienced this sense of apprehension, and thats why youre reading thisbook.

The good news is that feedback doesnt have to be painful. By learning the proventechniques presented here, you can develop your feedback skills. If you providefeedback to otherscoworkers, direct reports, or your managerthis book willhelp you to present your ideas more effectively. It will also help you to be a betterreceiver of feedback, even feedback that is presented awkwardly. With just a littlepractice, youll be able to turn feedback sessions into tools that can help you andyour coworkers improve your job performance and meet important goals. Goodluck!

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About the AuthorsShirley PoertnerShirley Poertner is the president of Poertner Consulting Group, a consulting andtraining firm specializing in organizational development and individual learning.She has more than 15 years of experience in the training and development field.

Before starting her own company in 1995, Ms. Poertner held key managementpositions with Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Meredith Corporation, andFirst Interstate of Iowa, Inc. (now Boatmens Bancshares of Iowa, Inc.). She hasworked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, as well as with smallerorganizations, public-sector agencies, and not-for-profits to assess and meet theirdevelopment needs.

Having spent several years of her career as Vice President of Human Resources,Ms. Poertner understands the importance of giving and receiving clear and specificfeedback in the workplace. She has coached supervisors and team leaders indelivering important information to their employees and team members. She hasconducted workshops to help employees and team members give and receivefeedback effectively with their colleagues and leaders. Ms. Poertner knows theintricacies of effective feedback and conveys them as a dedicated coach.

Karen Massetti MillerKaren Massetti Miller is the managing editor of Provant Medias How-To BookSeries and president of WritingWorks, a consulting firm offering writing, editing,and graphic design services. Ms. Miller has taught college-level courses in publicspeaking, business and professional communication, and journalism. She has alsoworked as a magazine editor and has written and edited numerous feature articleson people and places in the Midwest.

As a consultant, Ms. Miller has helped a number of organizations produceproposals and presentations, informational brochures, annual reports, andinstructional materials. Her experience as both a teacher and practitioner ofbusiness and professional communication has given her insight into the natureand importance of effective feedback.

AcknowledgmentsThe authors wish to thank Todd McDonald and Esther Vanier for their help,support, and assistance with this book.

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Assessing Your Current Feedback SkillsHow to Get the Most from This BookThis book is designed to help you improve your skills in giving and receivingfeedback in the workplace. To get the most from this book, as you read, thinkabout the ways in which you give and receive feedback. Ask yourself if yourecognize your own behaviors in our examples and if there are feedback skills youcan develop further. To help you identify skills you would like to improve, here aretwo self-assessments to evaluate your current feedback skillsone for how yougive feedback and another for how you receive it.

How Well Do I Give Feedback?This self-assessment will help you measure your current skills in giving feedback.For each statement, check rarely, sometimes, or often to indicate howconsistently you use the described behavior in the workplace.

Rarely Sometimes Often

1. I pick an appropriate time and place to give feedback. ________ ________ ________

2. I keep my emotions in check, remaining calm and keeping my voice even. ________ ________ ________

3. I provide specific, detailed information about the employees behavior or performance. ________ ________ ________

4. I explain the impact the employees actions are having on the team or organization. ________ ________ ________

5. I really listen to the responses of those receiving my feedback. ________ ________ ________

6. I clarify my expectations if there is any confusion about the behavior in question. ________ ________ ________

7. I remember to thank and encourage the receivers of my feedback. ________ ________ ________

8. I provide input as needed in developing an action plan for meeting behavioral or performance goals. ________ ________ ________

9. I focus on the steps of the feedback process to keep the dialogue on track. ________ ________ ________

10. I try to understand feedback from the other personspoint of view and preferred communication style. ________ ________ ________

Of course, giving feedback is only half of the story. Take a moment now and assess yourskills as a feedback recipient.

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How Well Do I Receive Feedback?This self-assessment will help you measure your current skills in receivingfeedback. For each statement, check rarely, sometimes, or often to indicatehow consistently you use the described behavior in the workplace.

Rarely Sometimes Often

1. I truly listen to what feedback givers are saying. ________ ________ ________

2. I keep feedback in perspective and dont overreact. ________ ________ ________

3. I try to learn from all feedback, even if its poorly given. ________ ________ ________

4. I am willing to admit to and learn from questionsabout my performance or behavior at work. ________ ________ ________

5. Rather than avoiding feedback, I attempt to turn every feedback session into a useful encounter. ________ ________ ________

6. I accept redirection and reinforcement rather than denying them. ________ ________ ________

7 I accept responsibility for my role in achieving individual, team, and organizational goals. ________ ________ ________

8. I accept responsibility for searching for solutions to performance and behavioral problems thatthreaten goals. ________ ________ ________

9. I accept responsibility for keeping my emotionsin check during feedback discussions. ________ ________ ________

10. I am committed to listening and learning in all feedback situations. ________ ________ ________

How Did You Score?How did you score on the two self-assessments? If you answered most of thequestions with often, your skills for giving useful feedback and receivingfeedback effectively are well developed.

If you answered a number of questions with rarely or sometimes, yourfeedback skills could probably use further development.

At the end of this book, we will provide an opportunity for you to reassess yourskills and develop an action plan for strengthening those areas in which you needmore experience.

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

The Power of Feedback 10What Is Feedback? 10How Do We Give Feedback in the Workplace? 13Redirection and Reinforcement 14Misperceptions About Feedback 19Sharing the Benefits of Continual Feedback 20Self-Check: Chapter 1 Review 21

Chapter Two

Useful Feedback Is Detailed Feedback 22

Creating Detailed Feedback 22Detailed Feedback Is Specific 23Dont Let Time Dull Your Details 27FeedbackA Two-Way Process 28Self-Check: Chapter 2 Review 30

Chapter Three

Planning Effective Feedback 32Why You Should Plan Your Feedback 32Ask These Questions When Planning Feedback 33Self-Check: Chapter 3 Review 41

Chapter Four

Steps for Giving Effective Feedback 42Preparing to Give Your Feedback 42Choosing an Appropriate Time and Place 42Beginning the Feedback Session 43Presenting Your Feedback 44Basic Steps for Giving Reinforcement 44Basic Steps for Giving Redirection 50Staying on Track 58Documenting Your Feedback 60Providing Higher Levels of Information 61Self-Check: Chapter 4 Review 62

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Table of Contents

Chapter Five

Steps for Receiving Feedback Effectively 64

How Do You React to Feedback? 64Listening and Learning from Feedback 66Are You Ready for Feedback? 68Helping Choose the Appropriate Time and Place 68Staying Calm and Cordial 69Dont Be Afraid to Ask Questions 69Basic Steps for Receiving Feedback 70Probing for Higher Levels of Information 76Self-Check: Chapter 5 Review 77

Chapter Six

Feedback and Communication Styles 78

What Are Communication Styles? 78How Styles Affect Feedback 80Understanding the Communication Styles of Others 81Self-Check: Chapter 6 Review 85

Chapter Seven

Handling Difficult Feedback Situations 86

Identifying Difficult Feedback Situations 86When Personal Problems Affect Performance 87When Personalities Clash 89When a Coworkers Personal Habits Affect Your Work 90When You Receive Overly General Redirection 92Taking Control of the Situation 93

Chapter Eight

Developing Your Feedback Skills 94Reassessing Your Feedback Skills 94Developing an Action Plan 97

Answers to Chapter Reviews 100

SAMPLEThe Power of Feedback

What Is Feedback?

Adivision manager hands in a report to her area director andwaits for a month without receiving a reaction. The divisionmanager wonders, What did I do wrong?

A supervisor becomes upset at a secretary who consistentlymakes typing errors. Dont you know anything about theEnglish language? he yells. Its amazing you ever finishedhigh school! The manager slams a recently typed memo onthe secretarys desk and stalks off; the specific typing errorsare never discussed.

An employee receives praise from a supervisor during anannual evaluation. Youre doing a great job, shes told. Keepup the good work. As the employee leaves the supervisorsoffice, she wonders, What exactly am I doing well? I want tokeep doing it, but Im not sure what it is.

Whenever we respond to another person, we are giving thatperson feedback. We may be reacting to any number of things:

The way a person looks

His or her actions10

The Power of Feedback

ChapterOne

Chapter ObjectivesDefine feedback.

Recognize ineffective types of feedback.

Recognize the characteristics of effective feedback.

Define redirection and reinforcement, two types offeedback that are especially effective in the workplace.

Whenever we respond to anotherperson, we are giving that personfeedback.

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Something he or she said

Or a combination of factors

Similarly, our feedback may take many forms. We may state ourreactions verbally, through speaking or writing, or we may reactnonverbally, letting our body language and facial expressionsspeak for us.

Though there are many types of feedback, not all feedback isuseful. Consider our three examples. In the first example, thearea director has responded to the division manager with silence.Silence is actually one of the most common forms of feedback inbusiness. How many times have you heard a manager say, Youwont hear from me unless theres a problem? But silence can bemisinterpreted. In this case, the division manager has interpretedsilence as criticism, but is that what the area director reallymeans? The area director may just have thought she was toobusy to respond, yet her silence has sent a message that isunintentionally negative.

Silence certainly wasnt a problem for the manager in the secondexample. That manager chose to give feedback in the form ofcriticism, attacking the secretarys personal qualities rather thanfocusing on the typing errors. The manager may have ventedsome emotion by yelling at the secretary, but the secretary stillhas no idea what the errors are and what should be done aboutthem. The managers criticism has only created distrust andhostility, which will make it even more difficult to discuss theactual problem.


Though thereare many typesof feedback,not allfeedback isuseful.

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The supervisor in our third example offered praise, certainly amore pleasant form of feedback than the first two. The employeein the third example is undoubtedly happy to learn that her bosslikes her work, but unless she asks for more specific detailsregarding what actions she should continue, the praise is of littlelong-term value.

As you can see, we are constantly responding to the actions ofothers, sometimes even without meaning toas the old clichsays, You cannot not communicate. How can we ensure thatour responses provide people with useful feedback? Our first stepis to determine what we want our feedback to accomplish.

Take a MomentDid our opening examples remind you of a similar situationyou may have encountered? Describe the situation.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Do you think the situation you experienced was handledwell? How might it have been handled better?

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

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How Do We Give Feedback in theWorkplace?In the workplace, our feedback takes on special meaning. In thisbook, we will define workplace feedback as information weprovide fellow employees and team members about their acts inorder to help them meet individual, group, and organizationalgoals. In the workplace, there are two types of acts about whichwe generally provide feedback: job performance and work-related behavior.

Job performance involves competencywhether or not anemployee is capably performing specific tasks that have beenassigned.

Work-related behavior involves the way in which an employeeperforms his or her taskswhether he or she speaks politelyto customers, for example, and works cooperatively withother team members.

Notice that our definition of workplace feedback is fairlyspecific. When we give workplace feedback, we are notcommenting on our coworkers personalities or private lives, norare we dwelling on employees past errors in order to punishthem. Instead, we respond to those factors that affect ourfeedback recipients work or the work of others so that ourrecipient can plan for the future.

What is the best way to give workplace feedback? As we haveseen, not all types of information result in effective feedback.The feedback given in our first three examples produced avariety of results. Silence allowed the division manager to createher own interpretation of the area supervisors reaction, whichmay or may not have been correct. Criticism created harshfeelings between the secretary and the manager. Praise createdpositive feelings during the employee evaluation butaccomplished nothing more. What could more effectivefeedback have done?

Workplacefeedback isinformation weprovide fellowemployees about their jobperformanceand their work-relatedbehavior inorder to helpthem meetgoals.

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Redirection and ReinforcementThink for a moment about our last two examples. Did themanager really want to insult the secretary? No, the criticism was meant to redirect the secretarys job performance to eliminatethe typing errorsit just came out badly. And what was theintention of the supervisor in the second example? To reinforcethe employees positive actions so that she will repeat anddevelop them.

These two types of feedbackredirection and reinforcementare especially effective in the workplace.

Redirectionidentifies job-related behaviors andperformance that do not contribute to individual, group, and organizational goals and helps the employee developalternative strategies.

Reinforcementidentifies job-related behaviors andperformance that contribute to individual, group, andorganizational goals and encourages the employee to repeatand develop them.

Redirection and reinforcement are really two halves of the samecointhey work together to provide all members of anorganization with the information they need to improve theirjob performance and work up to their full potential. Whenfeedback takes the form of redirection and reinforcement, it hasa number of useful characteristics:

It is focused on acts, not attitude.

It is directed toward the future.

It is goal oriented.

It is multidirectional.

It is supportive.

It is continual.

Redirectionand reinforce-ment are reallytwo halves ofthe same coin.

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Useful Feedback Is Focused on Acts, Not AttitudeUseful workplace feedback focuses on acts rather than anemployees attitude or personal characteristicsit responds tospecific actions that are done in the process of performing onesjob. Attacking someones talent and abilities, educationalbackground, physical attributes, or ethnic background is notuseful feedback and, in extreme cases, could leave yourorganization subject to legal action.

Sometimes we may think that we are giving a person feedbackabout his or her actions when, in fact, we are commenting onattitude, which is not a useful type of feedback. It does littlegood to accuse an employee of being unenthusiastic orunprofessionalwe have no way of knowing how that persontruly feels, nor is it really our business. Instead, we should focuson what we can seethe acts that we hope to redirect orreinforce. Rather than commenting on an employees lack ofprofessionalism, for example, we redirect job performance issues,like typing errors, and behavioral problems that affect jobperformance, like lateness.

Take a MomentThink of a situation in which you received redirection thatwas not focused on acts (as in the secretarial example atthe beginning of this chapter). Describe the criticism youreceived. How did the other person approach you? Whatdid he or she say? _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

How did you respond to this criticism? Were there aspectsof your work that could have been improved? How couldyour critic have changed his or her message so that youcould have benefited from the advice by redirecting yourefforts?_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Usefulfeedbackresponds tospecific actionsthat are donein the processof performingones job.

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Useful Feedback Is Directed Toward the FutureThe purpose of feedback is not to dwell on the pastit is to plan for the future. Though feedback begins with a consideration of past and current behaviors and jobperformance, it certainly doesnt end there. Useful feedback usespast actions as a springboard to help the feedback recipientdevelop effective plans for future actions.

Useful Feedback Is Goal OrientedEveryone within your organization shares common goals thatrelate to your organizations mission, vision, and strategies forsuccess. Members of your team or department share certain goalsas well. Similarly, everyone in your organization has individualgoals that will help him or her contribute to the companys goals.

We might think of individual goals as paths all leading to thecompletion of organizational goals. As each of us walks along ourpath, we believe that we are moving in the right direction. Butthere may be obstacles ahead that we cant see, or perhaps ourpath is interfering with someone elses. The only way we will everknow these things is if people from other vantage points tell us.When we look at feedback this way, it becomes as important awork tool as a computer or a calculator.

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Take a MomentThink of an instance when a colleague or a supervisorprovided feedback from his or her vantage point that helpedget you back on track toward meeting an important goal.Describe the instance. What was the goal and how did thefeedback help you?

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

The purpose offeedback is notto dwell on thepastit is toplan for thefuture.

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Useful Feedback Is MultidirectionalMany of us might think of feedback as hierarchical in nature: a manager or supervisor sends feedback downward to anemployee, not the other way around. But feedback ismultidirectional. In a hierarchical organization, employees needto send feedback upward to managers; otherwise, managementwill have no way of knowing what is actually happening on thefront lines. Employees also need to provide feedback laterally tocoworkers so that problems can be corrected immediatelyinstead of waiting for management to respond.

As cross-functional teams have become more common, ongoingfeedback among all team members is especially important.Because every member of the team has a different perspective,each person has a unique vantage point and insight into thework situation. Sharing information from one perspective canhelp other team members see things they might not have seenfrom their vantage points. It is everyones responsibility to sharehis or her unique insights in order to help the team meet itsgoal.

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Take a MomentWhose behavior or performance affects how you are able todo your job? Certainly your manager. Who else? List thembelow by position or role. (Dont forget to include thoseexternal to your workplace, as well as internal contacts.)

______________________ ______________________

______________________ ______________________

______________________ ______________________

1. Identify with a * the role you would be most likely toprovide with reinforcing feedback.

2. Identify with a # the role you would be most likely toprovide with redirecting feedback.

It is everyonesresponsibilityto share his orher uniqueinsights inorder to helpthe team meetits goal.

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Useful Feedback Is SupportiveUseful feedback is given in a spirit of supportiveness. The solepurpose of giving workplace feedback is to help associates,supervisors, and coworkers to improve the quality of their workin order to meet goalsit is always given with helpfulness inmind. Feedback should never be given in a way that belittles therecipient or makes others look good at that persons expense.

Useful Feedback Is ContinualFeedback isnt just something we provide during an annualreview or some other type of formal evaluation. In order to doour jobs in the best way possible, we need continual informationabout our job-related behaviors and performance. We need toknow immediately when we should redirect our efforts so thatsimple mistakes dont become costly errors, and we needreinforcement when those changes have been successful so that we continue to develop a specific action.

When feedback is continual, team members feel comfortableresponding to each other on an ongoing basis. As we developsolutions to specific situations, redirecting feedback will becomereinforcing feedback, and each new piece of information willbring us closer to meeting our individual and group goals, as inDiagram 1.

Redirect Reinforce GOALS

DIAGRAM 1

When feedbackis continual,team membersfeel comfortableresponding toeach other onan ongoingbasis.

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Misperceptions About FeedbackAs useful as feedback can be, many of us are reluctant to give orreceive it. Usually that reluctance is based on misperceptions wehave about feedback. Though we are learning to see feedback ina more positive light, many people still associate feedback withhurtful criticism. They are reluctant to hurt the feelings ofothers, and they certainly dont want their own work to becriticized. Perhaps you can recall times in your life when youhave been the subject of hurtful criticism, or times when yourcriticism, no matter how well intentioned, seemed to hurt thefeelings of another.

When we think about instances in which we have been subjectedto hurtful criticism, we often find that what hurt us wasnt thefact that someone was commenting on our work, but the way inwhich those comments were offered. Somehow, feedback aboutour typing errors turned into an evaluation of our entireeducational history and personality.

As weve seen, effective feedback doesnt veer off into these typesof unstructured statements. By following the steps in this guide,you will be able to provide feedback that avoids hurtful criticism,and you will be able to respond to any hurtful criticism you mayreceive so that it, too, becomes useful.

Many peoplestill associatefeedback withhurtful criticism.

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Sharing the Benefits of ContinualFeedbackWhen everyone on your team learns to provide and expectfeedback that is focused on acts, directed toward the future, goaloriented, multidirectional, supportive, and continual, you willfind that feedback sessions become opportunities for creativeproblem solving rather than dreaded encounters. Everyone onyour team will share the same language, and you will be able toshare ideas without fear of hurt feelings or reprisals.

Even as you are beginning to realize that continual feedback canhave a number of benefits for you and your organization, youstill may not be totally comfortable with the idea. In our nextchapter, we will explore some of the common misperceptionsthat keep people from giving feedback.

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Self-ChecK: Chapter 1 ReviewSuggested answers appear on page 100.

1. Workplace feedback is information we provide fellowemployees and team members about

______________________________________________.

2. Three types of ineffective workplace feedback are

______________________, _______________________,

and ___________________________.

3. Two types of effective workplace feedback are

______________________ and ____________________.

4. Effective workplace feedback has a number of characteristics.Three of them are:

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

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Useful Feedback Is Detailed Feedback


Creating Detailed Feedback

In Chapter 1 we defined workplace feedback as information weprovide fellow employees and team members about their jobperformance and their work-related behavior in order to helpthem meet individual, group, and organizational goals. Wevealready seen that the nature of that information helps determinewhether our feedback will be effective or not: useful feedbackfocuses on acts rather than attitudes, is goal oriented, and isalways given in a spirit of mutual support.

A key feature that helps make feedback useful is the amount ofdetail it provides. Feedback is most helpful when it provides asmuch detailed information about our actions as possible. Wecan make sure that feedback is detailed by remembering thesesimple guidelines:

Detailed feedback is specific.

Detailed feedback is accurate.

Detailed feedback is inquiring.

Chapter ObjectivesUnderstand the importance of detailed feedback.

Recognize the features of detailed feedback.

Recognize the roles that those giving and receivingfeedback play in creating detailed feedback.

ChapterTwo

Feedback ismost helpfulwhen itprovides asmuch detailedinformationabout ouractions aspossible.

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Detailed Feedback Is Specific I just dont like the way you arranged that display. Change it!

The ad copy you wrote just doesnt click. You know what I mean.

Try to put a little more oomph in your presentations. Wake people up!

Youve probably heard statements like these before. They areattempts at redirection, but theyre poor ones. They dont givethe person receiving the feedback enough specific information tomake changes in his or her actions. The most the receiver can doin each case is to try again, but without specific information,that attempt will be just another shot in the dark. The receivermay have to make several attempts before he or she hits onsomething the person giving the feedback likes. This is a waste oftime and resources as well as a drain on morale.

You can avoid situations like this by making your feedback asspecific as possible. Before giving feedback to another person, tryto recall as much specific information as you can about theaction you want to redirect or reinforce. You might begin byasking yourself what, when, where, who, and how:

What happened?

Where and when did it occur?

Who was involved?

How did it affect others?

Before givingfeedback toanother person,try to recall asmuch specificinformation asyou can aboutthe action you want toredirect orreinforce.

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With these questions in mind, consider this alternative to ourthird example:

Your presentations always include a wealth of new ideas, butyou dont sound personally excited about the things youresuggesting. Your voice is often very soft and monotone, andyour rate of speaking can be very slow. Our surveys show thatyour audience members think you sound bored with your topic,and that makes them feel bored, too. Are there some thingsyou could do to make your enthusiasm for your topic moreevident to your listeners?

This revised example tells the feedback recipient specificallywhat hes been doing (not projecting enthusiasm for hismaterial), where and when hes been doing it (duringpresentations), who it involves (his listeners), and how it affectsthem (makes them feel bored). The recipient will be able toredirect his efforts with much less confusion and effort than ifhe had received the feedback in our earlier example.

It is also important to be specific when giving reinforcingfeedback as well. Consider the difference between these twostatements:

Great report, Kari. Keep up the good work.

I liked the way you incorporated the two graphs into yourreport this month, Kari. They made it much easier to follow thecash flow. I hope youll do it again.

Kari will be better able to repeat her report-writing efforts basedon the specific information in the second example.

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Detailed Feedback Is AccurateFeedback can do little good if it inaccurately portrays the actionin question. Describing actions that were never taken or eventsthat never occurred only puts your feedback recipient on thedefensive as he or she attempts to describe what really tookplace.

Always be sure that you have an accurate understanding of thesituation you are describing before you begin a feedback session.If you think that there might be some question about yourversion of the situation, try to identify more than one instanceof it and document times, dates, and locations. You can alsocheck your observations against those of others to see if you allarrive at similar interpretations.

Detailed Feedback Is InquiringHave an inquiring mindlearn all that you can about acomplicated situation before you give feedback. Yourinvestigation may help you arrive at a totally differentinterpretation of the situationan interpretation that couldresult in totally different feedback. You may even discover thatyou wish to direct your feedback to a different person, or thatactions that you thought needed to be changed were actuallymaking a positive contribution.

Continue to ask questions during the feedback process itself.Encourage your feedback recipient to describe events that maybe affecting the situation in question, and involve him or her indeveloping any plans for future action.

Always be surethat you havean accurateunderstandingof the situationbefore youbegin afeedbacksession.

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Take a MomentEffective feedback is specific. How could the person givingthe following feedback have been more specific inreinforcing or redirecting the other persons performance orbehavior?

Pat, this report is not clear.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Lee, your presentation seemed to drag.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Dee, your team seems to be jelling nicely.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Effective feedback is inquiring. Describe an instance whenyour inquirieseither prior to or during a feedbackdiscussionresulted in information which greatly changedthe focus of the feedback you planned to deliver.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

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Dont Let Time Dull Your DetailsTime has a way of dulling even the most vivid memories. Inorder to incorporate as many details into your feedback aspossible, try to give redirection or reinforcement as close aspossible to the time the act in question actually occurred. It isalways easier to discuss something when events are fresh ineveryones mind, and responding to a situation quickly showsthat you believe that it is important.

One exception to this rule is the situation in which you need toboth reinforce and redirect the person receiving the feedback.People receiving both types of feedback generally focus on theredirection, and the reinforcement that you wanted to provideoften is ignored.

To alleviate this confusion, try splitting your feedback. Oneeffective method of splitting feedback involves givingreinforcement as soon after the action in question as possible,then providing redirection closer to the time the person is goingto repeat the action. For example, a manager who has justreceived a monthly report could reinforce her associates use ofcharts and bar graphs immediately after receiving the report andthen redirect the associate to also include a spreadsheet with thereport closer to next months due date.

A word of cautionbalance the need for a timely responseagainst the need to prepare for the feedback session. Rememberthat your feedback needs to be well organized and documentedas well as on time. Beginning to plan your feedback as soon asyou realize that a situation requires your response will help youto be both on time and well prepared.

Give redirectionor reinforce-ment as closeas possible to the time the act in questionactuallyoccurred.

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FeedbackA Two-Way ProcessGiving Feedback: The Process of SpecifyingKeeping these guidelines in mind as you prepare your feedbackwill help you develop redirection and reinforcement that isdetailed and useful. As you begin your first feedback sessions,you might think of giving detailed feedback as the process ofspecifyingthat is, providing more and more specificinformation to the person receiving your feedback. The morespecific the information you can provide, the closer yourrecipient can come to meeting individual, group, andorganizational goals.

Of course, creating useful feedback isnt only the responsibilityof the person giving that feedback. Both those giving feedbackand those receiving it have important roles to play in ensuringthat feedback provides as much useful detail as possible.

Receiving Feedback: The Process of ProbingIts a fact of lifeyou wont always receive useful, detailedfeedback on the job. But that doesnt mean you have to acceptpoor quality feedback that does nothing to help you redirect orreinforce your own performance. Feedback recipients canrequest the details they need through the process of probingasking the person giving the feedback for more and more details.As you probe for information, you will receive more and morespecific details about your behavior and performance.

Diagram 2 illustrates how the processes of specifying andprobing work together to bring ever-increasing amounts ofinformation to the feedback situation. As the levels of probingand specifying increase, so does the level of detailed informationavailable to the person receiving the feedback, which will helpthat person move closer to achieving goals.

Specifiying isproviding moreand morespecificinformation tothe personreceiving yourfeedback.

Probing isasking theperson givingyou feedbackfor more andmore details.

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In the following chapters, we will outline specific techniquesthat will help you to be an efficient giver and receiver offeedback. In each case, we will stress the importance ofspecifyingand probing forthe amount of specificinformation necessary to redirect or reinforce behaviors andperformance.

ACHIEVING GOALSSpecifying

many details

Specifying fewdetails

Probing formany details

Probing for fewdetails

Amount of Detailed

Information

Giving Feedback Receiving Feedback

DIAGRAM 2

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Self-Check: Chapter 2 ReviewSuggested answers appear on page 100.

1. What are three characteristics of detailed feedback?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

2. In order to provide your feedback recipient with as muchspecific detail as possible, when should you providereinforcement or redirection?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

3. Providing more and more specific information to therecipient of your feedback is the process of

______________________________________________

4. Asking the person giving you feedback for more and moredetails is the process of

______________________________________________


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Planning Effective Feedback


Why You Should Plan Your Feedback

Effective feedback doesnt just happen. Whether youre givingredirection or reinforcement, you should plan what you aregoing to say in advance. You will need to identify examples tosupport the redirection or reinforcement you want to give, andyou will need to organize your thoughts so that you are able topresent your feedback coherently.

As you take part in more and more feedback sessions, you mayfind that, in some cases, you actually spend more time planningyour feedback than you do giving it. This is not uncommonthe more time you put into your planning, the more smoothlyyour feedback sessions will run.

ChapterThree

Chapter ObjectivesRecognize the importance of planning feedback.

Ask yourself a series of questions that will help youprepare detailed feedback.

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Ask These Questions When Planning FeedbackKnowing that you want to give someone reinforcement orredirection is just the beginning of the feedback planningprocess. Try asking yourself this series of questions to get yourfeedback planning on track.

Can I identify and accurately describe the behavior orperformance I want to redirect or reinforce and its effects onothers in the organization?

Do I have detailed examples of the act and its effects that Ican use to support my descriptions?

Can I identify and describe the results that I hope myreinforcement or redirection will produce?

Does the person receiving the feedback understand myexpectations for his or her performance?

Is the person receiving the feedback really responsible for theact in question?

Is the other person open to receiving feedback from me?

Have I put off giving this feedback for a long time?

Have I given myself enough time to prepare the feedback?

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Identifying Behavior and Performance Issues Can you identify and accurately describe the specific behavior orperformance you want to redirect or reinforce and its effects onothers in the organization? As we saw in Chapter 2, effectivefeedback requires more than just a vague statement that you likeor dislike someones work. Statements like Somethings wronghereI dont know exactly what it is, but change it dontprovide enough details for employees to begin to redirect theiractions. Likewise, telling someone, Keep up the good work!does little to tell that person what good work is.

Begin your feedback preparation by identifying the specific jobperformance or behavior issue you want to redirect or reinforceand the effects that act has on others in your organization.Prepare for your feedback sessions by making a list in which youdescribe the act and its effects, as in these two examples:

Kelsey:Behavior to Redirect: Was late to work 3 times in the past

week.

Effects on Others: Person on previous shift had to worklate; people on same shift are irritated and demoralized.

Word-Processing Pool:Performance to Reinforce: Reorganized work process so that

correspondence is completed more quickly and with fewer errors.

Effects on Others: Lower turnaround time means we can respond to clients more quickly; reduction in errors means fewerdocuments have to be retyped, which also saves time and money.

Begin yourfeedbackpreparation byidentifying thespecific jobperformance orbehavior issueyou want toredirect orreinforce andthe effects thatact has onothers in yourorganization.

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Providing ExamplesDo you have detailed examples of the act and its effects that youcan use to support your argument? The more examples you candescribe, the stronger your case will be, especially if you areasking someone to redirect an action and are concerned that theperson might resist your redirection. Here is one way you couldlist examples of actions and effects to support redirection of theemployee who is late to work:

Kelsey:Example of Behavior: Effects on Others:Monday: Kelsey 1/2 hour late Pam had to open by herself.for first shift.

Wednesday: Kelsey 20 minutes Pam had to delay lunch late getting back from lunch. break; front desk short-

staffed at busiest time of day.

Thursday: Kelsey 1 hour late John had to continue working for second shift. after first shift ended.

Identifying Desired ResultsRemember, the purpose of giving feedback isnt to dwell on thepastits to plan for the future. Can you identify and describethe results that you hope your reinforcement or redirection willproduce? After you give your feedback, what types of actions doyou hope to see?

In the case of reinforcement, the answer is easyyou hope tosee the act in question repeated and developed. In the case ofredirection, you may need to give a little more thought to thisquestion. Although you will want to take input from the personreceiving your redirection about specific short- and long-termgoals, you should have some objectives in mind. Keep thesegoals in sight as you talk to the person to ensure that the actionplan you negotiate leads to the results you want.

After you giveyour feedback,what types ofactions do youhope to see?

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Understanding ExpectationsDoes the person receiving the feedback understand yourexpectations for his or her behavior and job performance? Thisis an especially important question for cases of redirection.Often we assume that people understand exactly what they aresupposed to be doing in a given situation, but that may not bethe case. Ask yourself what you and others have done in the pastto clarify your expectations. Refer to the persons job descriptionand to previous performance evaluationshave yourexpectations ever been addressed before?

If you discover that no one has ever addressed the act inquestion with your feedback recipient, your redirection maytake the form of clarifying your expectations. If the expectationsare new to the employee, you may also need to discuss suchquestions as:

Are the expectations fair and reasonable?

Is the feedback recipient capable of meeting them?

Are there ways in which the team can help the feedbackrecipient meet the expectations?

Controlling the SituationIs the person receiving the feedback really responsible for the actin question? The person to whom you are planning to give yourfeedback may have no trouble understanding your expectationsyet be unable to meet them. This could occur for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the feedback recipient is not actuallyresponsible for the situation you are addressing, or perhaps therecipient does not have the resources to redirect or repeat his orher actions.

Ask yourselfwhat you andothers havedone in thepast to clarifyexpectations.

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Before you give feedback to anyone, try to discover if otherpeople might be responsible for the situation. You may want toreinforce Bens addition of bar graphs to the weekly sales memo,but he can only do this when accounting gives him the figures.Perhaps Anita in accounting needs your reinforcement, too.

If you think outside factors may be affecting your feedbackrecipients actions, but you arent sure, ask the recipient in thecourse of giving your feedback and take his or her response intoaccount as the two of you develop plans for the future.

Accepting FeedbackIs the other person open to accepting feedback from you? Thiswill depend on your relationship with the person receiving yourfeedback and his or her attitude toward the feedback process.Questions to ask yourself include:

Are you a credible feedback source for this person?Does your feedback recipient believe that you have theexpertise to provide competent redirection or reinforcement?If you believe your credibility may be an issue, make doublysure you have plenty of examples to support your comments.

Is your relationship with your feedback recipient cordial?People are always willing to accept suggestions more readilyfrom someone with whom they have a good workingrelationship. If you do not have a good relationship withyour receiver, or perhaps have criticized (rather thanredirected) the receivers work in the past, you may need toreestablish your relationship before feedback can be effective.

What is your status relative to the feedback recipients? In hierarchical organizations, it is often difficult to givefeedback, especially redirection, to a manager or supervisor.If you are presenting feedback to a higher-up, present plentyof examples to establish your credibility and remember topresent your comments as supportive rather than critical.

People arealways willingto acceptsuggestionsmore readilyfrom someonewith whomthey have agood workingrelationship.

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Delaying FeedbackHave you put off giving this feedback for a long time? If youpreviously looked on feedback as unpleasant or unimportant,you may have put off approaching the receiver with yourfeedback. Unfortunately, delaying feedback makes it harder togive that feedback when you finally do sit down with yourreceiver.

If you have delayed giving redirection, the situation mayhave had time to escalate from a minor glitch to a seriousproblem.

If you have delayed giving reinforcement, your recipient maynot remember the act in question and may wonder why ithas taken you so long to respond.

The receiver of your feedback may not be open to yourinput after such a long delay. Delayed redirection can oftenresult in responses like But thats the way weve always doneit from the recipient.

You may need to explain to your feedback recipient that yourealize that you have not always been timely in giving feedback,and that this is your first effort to correct that problem. Dontdelayif you have been avoiding a feedback session, dont put itoff any longer! Immediately schedule a session and start toprepare for it.

Delayingfeedbackmakes itharder to givethat feedbackwhen youfinally do sitdown with your receiver.

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Taking Time for FeedbackHave you given yourself enough time to prepare your feedback?Dont kid yourselfit takes time to think about all of the issuesweve just mentioned as well as to document and describe theactions you hope to redirect or reinforce. Always give yourselfenough time so that you begin every feedback session fullyprepared.

Our next chapter will describe a series of steps that will guideyou through the feedback process.

Take a MomentThink of someone in your workplace to whom you need togive feedback about the quality of his or her efforts. Perhapsyou need to redirect that persons performance. Perhapstheres a behavior that is inappropriate or unsatisfactory.

Use the Feedback Plan form on the following page to helpyou prepare the necessary feedback. If you take the time toconsider each of the questions, you should be fullyprepared for your next feedback session.

Always giveyourselfenough time sothat you beginevery feedbacksession fullyprepared.

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Feedback PlanIdentify and accurately describe the specific actions youwant to reinforce or redirect and their effects on others.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

List detailed examples of these actions and their effects touse as support for question #1.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Identify and describe the results that you hope yourreinforcement or redirection will produce.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Do you think the person receiving the feedbackunderstands your expectations for his/her behavior orperformance?

_____ Yes _____ No

Do you think the person receiving the feedback is reallyresponsible for the behavior or performance in question?

_____ Yes _____ No

Do you think the other person is open to receiving feedbackfrom you?

_____ Yes _____ No

Have you put off giving this feedback for a long time?

_____ Yes _____ No

Have you given yourself enough time to prepare thefeedback?

_____ Yes _____ No40


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Self-Check: Chapter 3 Review Suggested answers appear on page 100.

1. True or False?You may find yourself putting more time into planning yourfeedback than you do actually giving it.

2. True or False?It isnt necessary to identify and describe specific actions thatyou want to redirect or reinforcejust stating that you likeor dislike someones work is enough.

3. True or False?You should always be sure that your feedback recipientunderstands your expectations for his or her performancebefore you begin a feedback session.

4. True or False?Before you begin a feedback session, you should be sure thatthe person you will be redirecting or reinforcing is actuallyresponsible for the action in question.

5. True or False?Delayed feedback is no more difficult to give than timelyfeedback.

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Steps for Giving Effective Feedback


Preparing to Give Your Feedback

If youve done everything you can to plan your feedback, givingthat feedback should be relatively easy. You can begin theprocess by choosing the time and place to present your feedback.

Choosing an Appropriate Time and PlaceTry to give your feedback in a situation where you wont bedistracted by other people or concerns. Plan ahead and make anappointment with your feedback recipienttry to choose a timewhen neither of you will be too tired or stressed.

ChapterFour

Chapter ObjectivesFollow the basic steps for reinforcing effective jobperformance and job-related behavior.

Follow the basic steps for redirecting ineffective jobperformance and job-related behavior.

Understand how the amount of information you giveyour feedback recipient can help that person achieveindividual, group, and organizational goals.

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4

Steps for Giving Effective

If you are giving redirection, you will want to choose a privateplace where your conversation wont be overheard. If you aregiving the same redirection to a group of people, such asinstructing a group of telemarketers on a better way to askcallers to hold, you can present your comments to the entiregroup. However, under most circumstances, you should notredirect an individual in front of other employees.

Reinforcement can sometimes be given more informally. If yourcomments will be brief, you might ask the person to step insideyour office for a moment rather than scheduling a formalappointment. If your organizational culture supports publicrecognition of employees, you can give reinforcement in front ofothers, such as during a weekly staff meeting. This can be aneffective way of recognizing an accomplishment as well asdemonstrating to other employees the type of actions you wantto reinforce.

Beginning the Feedback SessionWhether you are redirecting or reinforcing an associate orcoworker, try to help that person feel comfortable as you beginthe feedback session. If the feedback session is taking place inyour office, invite the other person to sit down. Offer him orher coffee or a soft drink if that is customary within yourorganization. If the other person seems especially nervous, youmight try to break the ice with some casual conversation beforegetting into your topic.

As your feedback session progresses, keep your own emotions incheck, especially if you are attempting to redirect a problem thathas frustrated you in the past. Your demeanor sets the tone forthe meetingdo not say or do anything that would cause theperson receiving your feedback to become emotional. Remaincalm and keep your voice even throughout the sessionnevershout at or berate an employee.

Under mostcircumstances,you should notredirect anindividual infront of otheremployees.

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Presenting Your FeedbackOnce you have established a positive tone for the feedbacksession, the process should flow smoothly. Remember that yourgoal is to specify as much detailed, useful information as possibleto help your associate or coworker be as productive as possible.You can do that easily by following some basic steps forreinforcement and redirection.

Basic Steps for Giving ReinforcementYou can give reinforcement that your associates and coworkerswill remember if you follow these four easy steps:

1. Describe the behavior or performance you want to reinforce.

2. Explain the positive impact that act has had on theorganization.

3. Help your feedback recipient take credit for his or hersuccess.

4. Thank your feedback recipient for his or her contributiontoward meeting group or organizational goals and encouragesimilar future actions.

The steps for giving reinforcement are summarized in thefollowing flowchart.

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Steps for Giving Reinforcement

Step 1Describe the behavior orperformance you want to

reinforce.

Step 4Thank your recipient andencourage similar acts in

the future.

Step 2Explain the positive impact

that act has had on theorganization.

Step 3Help your feedback recipient

take credit for his or hersuccess.

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Step 1Describe the Behavior or Performance You Want to ReinforceYou should begin any reinforcement session with a descriptionof the behavior or performance you would like to reinforce.Remember, the purpose of giving reinforcement isnt just tomake the other person feel good, its to describe the act you wantto reinforce in such a way that the person receiving the feedbackwill be able to repeat it. The more detail you are able to giveemployees in the course of reinforcement, the better they will beable to repeat and build on their work. Consider these two setsof examples: Which responses do you think give the receivers ofthe feedback enough information to repeat their performance?

1. Thanks for reorganizing the files, Cindy. They look great!

Im very impressed with the way youve reorganized the files,Cindy. Organizing the files by dates makes them much easierto find, and I especially like the way you put the frequently usedfiles on the bottom where we can all reach them.

2. Thanks for working overtime last night to proofread the report,June. I hope it didnt keep you up too late.

Thanks for the extra effort you put into proofreading the reportthis month, June. I especially appreciate the time you took tocheck all of the profit and loss figuresI notice you caughtseveral significant errors.

In each example, the receivers of the second response will knowexactly what they should do they next time they perform thesetasks.

The moredetail you areable to giveemployees inthe course ofreinforcement,the better theywill be able torepeat andbuild on theirwork.

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Step 2Explain the Behaviors Positive ImpactMost of us like to know how our efforts fit into the big picture.Learning how our work supports the work of others helps us tosee our importance to the group.

Explaining the positive impact an employees actions have hadon the team or organization can help that person see the value ofhis or her contribution and create extra incentive to repeat anddevelop that act. Again, the more information you can give theemployee about the effect of his or her contribution, the morevaluable your feedback will be. Consider the following example:

I know that with so many employees out sick this month, ittook extra effort for you to get the quarterly report out on time.Thanks to your efforts, management had the information theyneeded to make some important decisions about hiring andcompensation; in fact, they approved the new assistant wevebeen hoping for in this division.

The employee receiving this reinforcement will know exactlyhow her hard work impacted her organization and her team.

Learning howour worksupports thework of othershelps us to seeour importanceto the group.

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Step 3Help Your Feedback Recipient TakeCredit for Success

Oh, it was no big deal. I had a lot of help.

Although just about everyone craves positive reinforcement, itsamazing how many people have trouble accepting it when itsgiven to them. Many of us were raised with the attitude thataccepting a compliment was similar to bragging, or perhaps wejust have a hard time believing that we could actually dosomething right!

Help those you reinforce accept full responsibility for theirsuccess. While you can acknowledge the contributions of othersif your feedback recipient mentions them, emphasize the fullimportance of your recipients role:

I realize that the entire team was involved in making theconference a success, but I want especially to thank you for allof your work arranging transportation. Thanks to you, all of theparticipants arrived in plenty of time to make theirpresentations.

As the above example illustrates, providing strong examples of the positive effects someones actions have had within theorganization is a good way to help a modest person realize thesignificance of his or her efforts.

Step 4Thank and Encourage Your Feedback RecipientThank you is still one of those magic expressions we love to hear, so be sure to say thanks whenever you presentreinforcement. Including your thanks toward the end of yourreinforcement, after you have described the act and its effect, can be particularly effective because it will be the last thing theemployee takes away from the interaction.

As you thank your feedback recipient, encourage him or her to keep up the good work. Make sure your feedback recipientknows that you hope to see the positive behavior or performancerepeated in similar situations.

Help those you reinforceaccept fullresponsibilityfor theirsuccess.

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Take a MomentThink of someone you work with whose positive behavior orperformance you would like to reinforce. With that individualin mind, decide what you intend to say at each step of theprocess.

Describe the behavior or performance you want to reinforce.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Explain the positive impact the behavior or performance hashad on the organization.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Help your feedback recipient take responsibility for his orher success.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Thank your feedback recipient for his/her contributiontoward meeting individual, group, or organizational goalsand encourage similar future behavior or performance.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

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Basic Steps for Giving RedirectionRedirection consists of six basic steps that will help yourfeedback recipient see the impact of his or her acts and plan for the future:

1. Describe the behavior or performance you want to redirect.

2. Listen to the reaction of your feedback recipient. Yourfeedback recipient may immediately admit there is a problemand take responsibility for it (Step 4), or you may need to . . .

3. Clarify your expectations for your feedback recipientsbehavior or performance. Or explain the negative effect those actions are having on the organization.

4. Help your feedback recipient to acknowledge that a problemexists and take responsibility for it.

5. Develop a plan that will help your feedback recipient adjusthis or her actions.

6. Thank your feedback recipient for his or her efforts.

The steps for giving redirection are summarized in the followingflowchart.

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Steps for Giving Redirection

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Step 1Describe the behavior orperformance you want to

redirect.

Step 2Listen to your recipients

reaction.

Step 3aClarify your expectations for your

recipients behavior or performance.

Step 3bExplain the negative effect of your

recipients actions.

Step 4Help your recipient acknowledge

that a problem exists and take responsibility for it.

Step 5Develop a plan for

future action.

Step 6Thank your feedback

recipient.

If your feedbackrecipient agrees thatthere is a problem

If your feedbackrecipient is unwilling toaccept responsibility

If your feedbackrecipient is confused

about your expectations

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Step 1Describe the Behavior or Performance You Want to RedirectOnce again, you should begin the feedback session with adescription of the behavior or performance you want to redirect.If the act you are describing is ongoing, try to cite more thanone instance of it so that your feedback recipient can get an ideaof the extent of the problem, as in these examples:

Behavior in need of redirection:Bob, you were late to work three times this week and twicelast week. You were also late five times last month.

Performance in need of redirection:Martha, I found five typing errors in this letter you just finished,and you misspelled the clients name. I also found typing errorsin the last two letters you typed for me.

Notice that in both examples, the person giving the feedbacksimply describes the behavior or performance in questionwithout making a value judgment or expressing anger ordisappointment. Beginning your feedback in this way will keepyour redirection focused on acts rather than attitudes.

Step 2Listen to the Reaction of Your Feedback RecipientOnce you have given a detailed description of the behavior orperformance you hope to change, give your feedback recipient achance to respond. Three responses feedback recipients oftengive include acknowledging the problem, expressing confusionover expectations, or refusing to accept responsibility.

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Acknowledging the problemOften, employees are aware of a problem and have beenwaiting for an opportunity to discuss it:

I know the formatting on the reports has been difficult toread. Ive been trying to use the new software, but I justcant figure out how to do it. Can someone show me how?

If you receive a response like this, it shows that your feedbackrecipient has taken responsibility for the problem and isready to correct it. Congratulationsyou have completedStep 4! No further discussion of your associate or coworkersactions are necessary: the two of you can immediately beginto develop an action plan to correct the problem as describedin Step 5.

Expressing confusionOf course, not all feedback sessions will resolve so quickly.Your feedback recipient may respond with confusionregarding your expectations. Perhaps your associate orcoworker never understood (or was not given) a cleardescription of his or her job duties; perhaps expectations forthe job have changed over time:

I didnt realize that I was supposed to provide the figuresby the beginning of the monthI thought that any timeduring the first week would be fine.

When you receive a response like this, your next step shouldbe to clarify expectations with your feedback recipient, whichwe describe in Step 3a.

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Refusing to accept responsibilityOccasionally your feedback recipient may admit that aproblem exists but refuse to take responsibility for it. Weveall heard (and possibly given) responses like:

Its not my fault! Its the people in accounting.

Ill try to do better, but you know, there just isnt enoughtime.

In situations like these, your challenge is to determinewhether some outside factor is affecting your feedbackrecipients ability to do the job or if he or she is just makingexcuses. This is especially difficult if your associate orcoworker is behaving defensively.

Try to get past your feedback recipients defensiveness and focuson the content of what he or she is saying. If there are factorswithin the organization or work team that are keeping him orher from meeting your expectations, use this time to addressthem. As your associates and coworkers see that you take theirviewpoints seriously, their responses will become less defensiveand more cooperative.

Of course, there will also be times when you listen to anassociates or coworkers explanation and determine that youmust hold that person responsible for the problem. If yourfeedback recipient remains defensive, try to focus theconversation on the effects of his or her actions as we discuss inStep 3bthis is your best evidence that a problem exists.

Step 3aClarify Your ExpectationsIf your feedback recipient is surprised or confused by theexpectations you and other team members have for his or herperformance, take the time to clarify them. This might involvereferring back to the original job description or reviewing thedirections your recipient has received for performing certaintasks.

Try to get pastyour feedbackrecipientsdefensivenessand focus onthe content ofwhat he or sheis saying.

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As you review your expectations, be sure to give your associate orcoworker plenty of opportunity to respond. Be sure that yourfeedback recipient agrees that the expectations are reasonable; ifhe or she doesnt, you may need to point out that other peoplein the organization are working just as hard, or you may need toreadjust your expectations in some way. Whatever you negotiate,by the end of this step, you and your feedback recipient shouldagree on a set of reasonable expectations, and your feedbackrecipient should be ready to acknowledge his or her responsibilityfor meeting them. You can develop this further in Step 4.

Step 3bExplain the Actions Negative EffectThe best way you can help a defensive feedback recipientrecognize the need to redirect his or her actions is by giving athorough description of the effect those actions are having onother members of your team or organization. Again, you shouldsimply state the facts without expressing anger or making a valuejudgment. Here are examples that illustrate two descriptions weused earlier:

When youre late, other employees have to fill in for you untilyou arrive. Joe had to work overtime twice this week until youarrived, and Sara had to cover for you last week. It isnt fair tothe others to expect them to cover for you, and it hurts thequality of our work to keep tired employees on duty after theirshift is over.

When we send out letters with typing errors, it looks as thoughwe dont care about our clients, especially when we misspellthe clients names. We could lose business if our clients thinkwe dont value them.

Descriptions like these should help your feedback recipient seethe impact of his or her behavior or performance and takeresponsibility for adjusting that action. If your recipient isespecially defensive, keep returning to your examples until he orshe is ready to accept responsibility and work out a plan topromote change.

Be sure thatyour feedbackrecipientagrees that theexpectationsare reasonable.

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Step 4Help Your Recipient Acknowledge Thata Problem Exists and Take Responsibility for ItYou and the person to whom you are giving feedback cannotcollaborate in redirecting behavior or performance until he orshe acknowledges that a problem exists and takes responsibilityfor correcting it. You will know that you have this agreementwhen you hear your feedback recipient say something like, Yes,I agree, there is a problem here. What can I do about it?

If your feedback recipient is slow to acknowledge the problemand accept responsibility, you should continue to presentevidence about the extent of the problem until you haveagreement. What kind of evidence can you use to convince yourrecipient that a problem exists and that his or her behavior orperformance needs to change?

Stress the negative impact that the individuals currentperformance or behavior is having on coworkers and theorganization as a whole.

Convince the individual that he or she will face significantconsequences if the behavior or performance continues.

If you can get people to recognize the negative consequences oradverse impact of something they are doing, they will usuallyagree that it is a problem.

If you can getpeople torecognize thenegativeconsequencesor adverseimpact ofsomething theyare doing, theywill usuallyagree that it isa problem.

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Step 5Develop an Action PlanThe goal of any redirection is improving future performance andbehavior. It isnt enough just to point out the need for change toyour feedback recipientyou also need to develop a specific planto help him or her set and meet objectives.

Although you should have some short- and long-term goals inmind before you begin your feedback session, you will want toinvolve your feedback recipient in the planning process. Oneway you can do this is by stating an overall goal and then askingfor the other persons input on how to meet that goal. Here is anexample in which an administrative assistant redirects hermanagers difficulty with deadlines:

Admin. Asst.: Ms. Wagner, I really want to get your correspondence typed ontime, but I have difficulty when you give me your tapes to transcribea half hour before the mail has to go out. Is there some way youcan give me more time?

Manager: Its difficult. Those are open cases, and I often dont have theinformation I need until the last minute.

Admin. Asst.:Well, could you let me know at the beginning of the day if you thinkyoull need me to transcribe something? That way I could organizemy work so that my last hour is free for your projects.

Manager: I think I can do that.

Though the administrative assistant might not have gotten asmuch time for her transcription as she would have liked, she wasable to involve her manager in a solution that would help herorganize her time effectively, which was her primary objective.When the manager remembers to tell her associate aboutupcoming transcription, the associate can reinforce that actionby saying something like Thanks for telling me so early. I canget much more done when I have the opportunity to organizemy day in advance.

Involve yourfeedbackrecipient in the planningprocess.

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Step 6Thank Your Feedback Recipient for His or Her EffortsIt can be hard to accept redirection. Show your feedbackrecipient that you appreciate his or her efforts by closing yourredirection with a thank you. This can also be a good time tosummarize your conversation and make plans for futuremeetings:

Thanks for taking the time to talk to me about the salesfigures. I really appreciate your willingness to spend an extraday on the road to do follow up, and I want to help you any wayI can. Lets get together when youre in the office next weekand see how things are going for you.

Staying on TrackThese steps for giving reinforcement and redirection will allowyou to give useful, supportive feedback that focuses on actsrather than attitudes. Following these steps should get youthrough even a potentially difficult feedback situation with aminimum of stress. But the steps can help you only if you followthem. Dont allow yourself to get distracted in the course of afeedback session. Even if your feedback recipient tries to steerthe conversation onto other topics or becomes argumentative,focus on the steps. They will give your feedback sessiondirection and ensure that you provide your recipient with asmuch useful information as possible.

Dont allowyourself to getdistracted inthe course of a feedbacksession.

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Take a MomentThink of someone you work with whose behavior orperformance you would like to redirect. With that individualin mind, decide what you intend to say at each step of theprocess.

Describe the behavior or performance you want to redirect.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Imagine what you think that persons response will be.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Clarify your expectations for your feedback receiver ORexplain the negative effect the behavior or performance hashad on the organization and help your receiver takeresponsibility for his or her actions.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Help your recipient to acknowledge that a problem existsand take responsibility for it.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Develop a plan that will help the receiver of your feedbackadjust his or her actions._______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Thank your feedback recipient.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

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Documenting Your FeedbackToo often were so busy handling day-to-day worries that weforget to make note of the positive things we encounter. If youhave given an associate or coworker reinforcement on asignificant achievement or project, dont forget to documentyour feedback for that individuals personnel file. Making arecord of your positive assessment will help that employeereceive the rewards and recognition he or she deserves whenperformance is reviewed.

You should also make note of any redirection that you give.Even if you do not think that the problem is serious enough toinclude in the employees personnel file, keep a record of theredirection for yourself. Include the types of details we discussedin Chapter 3these are the key elements of gooddocumentation:

What happened?

Where and when did it occur?

Who was involved?

How did it affect others?

If the receiver of your feedback successfully redirects his or herperformance, you will have a record of the feedback process thatwill help you track the employees success. And, in theunfortunate event that the employee does not respond toredirection and the problem becomes worse, you will havedocumentation that you attempted to deal with it. This could besignificant if the problem becomes so serious that the employeemust be disciplined or terminated.

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Providing Higher Levels of InformationIn Chapter 2, we discussed the process of specifyingprovidingmore and more specific, detailed information to your feedbackrecipient. Following the steps for providing reinforcement orredirection that weve outlined here will help you provide thedetailed information your feedback receiver needs to meetindividual, group, and organizational goals, as illustrated inDiagram 3. Beginning with your description of the act inquestion, each step of the feedback process provides furtherdetails that can help your feedback recipient improve his or herperformance or behavior.

ACHIEVING GOALS

Specifying many details

Specifying few details

Probing formany details

Probing for fewdetails

Amount of Detailed

Information

Giving Feedback Receiving Feedback

6. Thank recipient.5. Develop action

plan.4. Acknowledge

problem.3. Clarify

expectations/explain effects.

2. Listen to reaction.1. Describe

behavior/performance.

DIAGRAM 3

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Self-Check: Chapter 4 ReviewSuggested answers appear on pages 100 and 101.

1. True or False?There is no need to worry about scheduling an appropriatetime for giving feedback. You can provide redirection andreinforcement anytime, anywhere.

2. True or False?It is perfectly all right to redirect an individual employee inthe presence of other employees.

3. List the four basic steps for providing reinforcement.

a. _____________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________

4. List the six basic steps for providing redirection.

a. _____________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________

e. _____________________________________________

f. _____________________________________________

5. True or False?It is important to document both reinforcement andredirection.


SAMPLE

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Notes

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Steps for Receiving Feedback Effectively


How Do You React to Feedback?

Think about the last time you received feedback fromsomeone. What did you do? Did you listen to the feedbackand try to learn as much as you could from it? Did you askquestions in order to receive as much detailed information aspossible? Or did you become defensive?

Its always tempting to make excuses whenever we receiveredirection. After all, you probably had very good reasons forapproaching your work in the way you did, and its natural towant to explain those reasons. But if you spend all your timeexplaining yourself, you wont have time to really hear what theperson giving redirection is trying to saythat your actions arecreating some negative effects for your organization and need tobe changed. You must put aside your feelings of defensiveness inorder to be able to focus on the details that can help you changeyour behavior or performance.

ChapterFive

Chapter ObjectivesFollow the basic steps for receiving reinforcement orredirection of your job performance and job-relatedbehavior.

Probe for more information when receiving redirectionor reinforcement.

Understand how the amount of information you receivecan help you achieve individual, group, andorganizational goals.

If you spend all your timeexplainingyourself, youwont havetime to reallyhear what theperson givingredirection istrying to say.

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5


You can make the same kind of mistake when you receivereinforcement. If someone compliments your work, you maywant to stop right there and enjoy the praise without asking forfurther details, or, if youre a modest person, you may want todeny the praise completely. But you wont benefit from eitherapproach. The only way you will be able to repeat your actionsand develop them further is by probing for specific details aboutwhat aspects of your behavior or performance have had the mostpositive effects and how you should repeat them.

Take a MomentThink about the last time you received feedback fromsomeone. What did you do?

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Was your reaction in that instance typical of how you reactwhen receiving feedback? Check those that apply.Did you tend to:

_____ Get defensive and try to explain your actions?

_____ Find someone with whom to share all or part of the blame for the problem?

_____ Shut down and not listen, focusing instead on what you can do to regain favor in the other persons eyes?

_____ Listen carefully to what the person is saying so you can understand and probe for more information if necessary?

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Listening and Learning from FeedbackYoull get the most from reinforcement and redirection if youmake the commitment to listen and learn in all feedbacksituations. You can evaluate reinforcement and redirection mosteffectively if you develop these habits for receiving feedback:

Become a careful listener.

Keep all feedback in perspective.

Try to learn from all feedback, even feedback that ispresented poorly.

Become a Careful ListenerThe first thing you can do to get the most from every feedbacksession is to develop effective listening skills. Listening isprobably the most important communication skill we candevelop, yet few of us know how to listen effectively. How manytimes have you found your mind wandering when someone wastalking to you? Any distracting thoughts can keep a person frombeing an effective listeneran impending deadline, rumorsabout corporate layoffseven worries about a childs LittleLeague game.

Its especially easy for us to become distracted when we arereceiving feedback. We not only listen with all of the otherconcerns that generally crowd our minds for attention, but wemay also be trying to generate excuses for our acts even as theyare being described to us.

Try to enter every feedback situation with the attitude that youwill concentrate on what the person giving feedback is saying.Dont try to generate responses as the person is talking, justlisten. If the persons perspective seems strange to you, askyourself why he or she might see thing

feedback

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