the absolutely vital practice of managers giving positive feedback

© 2017 Zenger Folkman

The Absolutely Vital Practice of Managers Giving Positive Feedback

Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman


Joe Folkman, Ph.D., is globally recognized as a top leader in the field of psychometrics, leadership, and change. He is a consultant to some of the world’s most successful organizations, a best-selling author, and a frequent keynote speaker and conference presenter. His research has been reported in numerous publications including, The Harvard Business Review, Forbes, CLO Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Business Insider, CNN, and others.

For more go to: http://zengerfolkman.com/joe/

Dr. Joe FolkmanPRESIDENT

Jack Zenger, D.B.A., is a world-renowned behavioral scientist, best-selling author, consultant, and a national columnist for Forbes and Harvard Business Review. With more than five decades of experience in leadership development, he is recognized as world expert in the field of people development and organizational behavior. His ability to connect with Executives and audiences through compelling research and inspiring stories make him an influential and highly and sought-after consultant and speaker.

For more go to: http://zengerfolkman.com/jack/

Dr. Jack ZengerCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


POLL

Negative/Corrective Feedback

An effective manager has the responsibility to provide their direct reports with corrective feedback when team members make mistakes.• A. Agree• B. Disagree


POLL

Positive Feedback

An effective manager has the responsibility to provide their direct reports with positive feedback when team members perform well.• A. Agree• B. Disagree


What Helps the Most

The thing that would most help employees to improve performance is...A. Being given specific, constructive suggestions about

how to improve. B. Being given regular recognition and praise.

Results from 7,500 respondents: C. 82% selected this answerD. 18% selected this answer

POLL


Beliefs—The Best Leaders Are Willing To Provide Tough Feedback

• The vast majority of managers feel it is their duty and responsibility to provide corrective feedback when team members make mistakes or fail to do something.

• They also believe it has the greatest impact on subordinates’ future performance.


The Majority Of People Believe That Negative Or Corrective Feedback Is Helpful!

“Negative (redirecting) feedback, if delivered appropriately, is effective at improving performance.”

Global survey of 7,650 people.93 percent agree


“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

—Abraham Maslow

The problem with this belief…


POLL

Which is easier for a manager to deliver?

• A. Positive feedback• B. Negative/corrective feedback


Preference for Avoiding or Giving Positive and Negative Feedback

Avoids Neutral GivesPositive Feedback 37% 19% 44%Negative Feedback 21% 16% 63%

Strongest Preference

for giving negative

feedback!

37% Avoided Giving Positive

Feedback!

Feedback Preferences• We created a self-assessment that measures preference for

giving positive or negative feedback.

• 10 paired comparison items measure comfort or aversion to giving positive and negative feedback.

Results of this assessment on 7,808 people.


Those Who Preferred Giving Negative Feedback Rated Themselves More Positively

0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%80.0%

30.6%

72.5%

40.7%

78.7%

I would rate myself as highly effective at providing others with honest, straight-forward feedback.

Per

cent

Agr

ee


FACT: Leaders who give tough feedback think they are better at

developing others.

Do the recipients agree?


Fact: Those With A Preference For Giving Positive Feedback Were Rated More Positively

0

10

2030

4050

60

4136

53 52

Effectiveness Rated by Others at Giving Honest Feedback in a Helpful Way

Per

cent

ile S

core

sFeedback from Others328 managers’ 360-degree feedback results were compared with results from a self-assessment that measured their preference for giving positive or negative feedback. In the 360-degree assessment, an average of 13 respondents were asked to evaluate their leader’s behavior “Gives honest feedback in a helpful way.”


Those With A Preference For Giving Positive Feedback Were Rated Better At Developing Others

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

4037

55 54

Develops Others

Per

cent

ile S

core

s


Those With A Preference For Giving Positive Feedback Were Rated As Better Leaders Overall

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

4236

49 46

Overall Leadership EffectivenessP

erce

ntile

Sco

res


Implications

Preference for giving negative

feedback

Team members feel

judged Leaders only

looking for what’s wrong


Dangers of Giving Corrective Feedback

• Damage relationship.• Put people into a negative mood, which reduces their

effort.• Corrective messages can trigger a threat/danger response

in the brain that is instantaneous and not logical.


Basic Human Needs Are Easily Threatened

Predictability: Do I have clarity about my future?Independence: Can I steer my own ship? Meaning: Does what I do make a difference?Inclusion: Am I included as a member of this group? Status: Am I respected in this group?Fairness: Am I being treated equally?Intimacy: What is my relationship with others in this group?Engagement: Am I enthusiastic about what I am doing, the people I work with, and the organization I work in?


Barriers to Giving Corrective Feedback

• Lack of positive relationship.– Partners and family members can say things that strangers can’t.

• Lack of skill.– Success depends a great deal on how it is done.

• Poor performers often avoid opportunities for manager to give corrective feedback.

• Subordinates don’t seek feedback due to insecurity or newness.


Implications

Preference for giving positive

feedback

Team members feel valued & appreciated

Corrective/ Negative

feedback can also be given

Higher ratings on feedback,

development, and overall leadership


• Creates good moods.• Appropriate for certain people and during

specific times.• There are good and bad ways of doing it.

Giving Positive Feedback


Who Benefits From Positive Feedback?

• Younger people and novices in their careers.• People who are developing confidence in themselves.• Those who are developing commitment to a project.


1. Give specific reinforcement for effort, tenacity, and resourcefulness.

2. Avoid messages that signal this person has exceptional talent, intelligence, or unique ability.–Research by Carol Dweck describes why this is a mistake.

3. Describe the impact of people’s efforts for the organization and team.

4. Express personal appreciation for hard work.

How To Give Positive Feedback


Examine Your Preferences

Recommendations• We found that 37 percent of leaders have a preference

for avoiding positive feedback. If this describes you, you might reconsider.

• 63 percent of leaders have a strong preference for giving negative/corrective feedback.

Understand that doing this alone makes you a less effective leader. You might want to reconsider.


Action Plans

• Consider your attitudes and beliefs about giving positive and negative feedback. Identify how your attitudes can lead to actions.

• Look for more opportunities to give positive feedback in your work group.

• Track the number of times you give positive versus negative feedback. Aim for a target of at least 2 times more positive than negative.

• Identify leaders who are skilled at giving positive feedback. Ask for some coaching.

• If you build up a positive feedback “bank account” you can safely give corrective feedback when appropriate.


Consider ThisAll of our studies showed that leaders who preferred giving positive feedback and avoided giving negative feedback were rated slightly higher on giving feedback, developing others, and overall leadership effectiveness. • Why is that?• Is it possible that negative or corrective feedback is not really necessary?• When you made your last mistake, how often was it helpful for you boss to point

out the mistake? Did having your boss talk about the mistake cause you to change or would you have done it anyway?


We Can HelpZenger Folkman has an award-winning development program called Elevating Feedback.Each participant completes a self-assessment evaluating their preference for giving and receiving positive and negative feedback, and is given opportunities to practice new skills.For more information on this course and the self-assessment, respond to the item in the survey after the webinar.


THANK YOU!Better Leaders.Better Results.Zenger Folkman exists to develop better leaders. Why? Because extraordinary leaders transform the world. They form more productive, creative, and flourishing organizations—ones that are simply better in every way.

We do this by conducting continuous research on leaders from all over the world. We then turn this research into insights that are delivered to individual leaders in a personal and constructive way. These scientifically derived insights result in prescriptive actions that become measurable business results.

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the absolutely vital practice of managers giving positive feedback

Leadership & Management