Feedback and coaching
This topic is probably the most important for team leaders and managers. At the very minimum, feedback is usually an annual requirement, but the need to give feedback (both positive and critical) will occur frequently. There is a wealth of advice out there for how to give feedback. Like most managers I have been on courses that have involved roll-playing specific situations. I’ve found this style of training to often include obvious or extreme examples and to be of varying quality. I chose to disregard most of this training and instead I figured out what works for me. I hope that some of my thoughts on this topic will give you the flexibility to work out what works for you. My aim is to cover off what to say, when to say it and how to follow-up.
Feedback is triggered by a few different events. There can be a pattern of observed behavior. Alternatively, there can be a single moment where something specific happened. There can also be a disconnect between expected performance and reality. I suspect that most people reading this will assume these are examples of constructive feedback where you are correcting and improving a situation. But if you apply a neutral filter to the word “feedback” you can see these can be examples of both. In fact, as bad as we can often be at offering constructive feedback, we are often guilty of not giving sufficient positive feedback. This all goes to the same point that feedback is a very useful barometer by which staff can ensure they are on the right path and that you can align expectations around performance.
If feedback is important then I believe we must shape the feedback in such a way that it is understood by the recipient. This starts with the obvious point that it must be free of ambiguity and as clear and concise as possible. I like to go further and suggest that feedback must be framed and delivered in a way that the recipient can fully hear it. If you miss this step, then you are giving up one of the more effective tools to modify behavior.
To get the framing right you need to know the person receiving the feedback. The good news is that most people reveal this information quickly. The first indicator is how open or guarded a particular individual is. Are they defensive or inquisitive when their work is discussed? Do they offer full accounts of what they are working on and discuss challenges, or do they prefer to give limited updates until the work is done? Other pointers can be taken from their approach to work. Are they a detail orientated person or prefer the broad brush of a narrative that makes sense? Do they spend time challenging processes or focus on the tasks that have been set? There are many facets of how people show up in the workplace and it is a useful aspect of management to try and understand enough to ensure that when you give feedback you are speaking their own business language. If you know what success looks like to the individual (see this post for more details) you can use that in a mutually beneficial way by linking their actions or inactions to their vision of success.
The “what” is therefore a concise explanation of the issue you want to give feedback on. This should usually be packaged up with examples. If the issue is at odds with their own image of success, then it is usually sufficient to point this out and explain why the current situation moves them away from their personal goals. If their idea of success is at odds with the needs of the team, then you may find yourself giving two pieces of feedback. The first piece is feedback on the issues at hand and the second is more general feedback to explain why their ideas about success are not aligned with the Team goals or not realistic. If they don’t have a vision of success then you can help draw out what that might look like to them, but this will only be effective if they fully adopt it or use it as a jumping off point for developing their own vision. The overall aim is to point out the discrepancy between how they want to see themselves and what their performance or work says about them.
The best-practice on timing of feedback is that it should be given as soon as possible. I agree with this, but I do take issue with suggestions that feedback should always be given in the moment or immediately. If you take too long to give feedback, then it loses its potency and relevance. But if giving feedback immediately prevents you from planning what you are going to say and to frame it in terms that the recipient understands then the message you are trying to give won’t be as effective. It is a balancing act and depends on the nature of the feedback, your knowledge of the person you are giving it to, and whether it is a significant event or a pattern of behavior that is being addressed. Feedback is valuable and can accelerate individual and team growth if delivered well. Ideally it should be given generously, received graciously and with sufficient time and effort taken to ensure it is understood fully.
The final parts of the equation involve follow-up and coaching. Some feedback will be self-explanatory and all that is required is evidence it is being actioned and periodic follow-up to make sure that things remain on track. At other times feedback points to a skill weakness or a more significant change of approach and when this is the case, coaching can often be the solution. If you aren’t getting the level of performance you need, the role is negatively impacting performance of the team and coaching hasn’t worked, then the feedback becomes the initial step towards staff change. Hopefully if you have tried everything and this is acknowledged, then that change may be viewed as beneficial by both parties.
I usually start from the position that replacing staff is timely and expensive and if there is a chance to coach improvement everyone wins. Some elements of that coaching may be provided by external parties, but the most effective and timely coaching is provided by you as line manager. Setting clear expectations up front and as early as possible is essential. If you are hiring for a specialist role where you don’t have time to provide much direction, then you will end up paying more for previous experience. This always comes with the risk that you won’t get exactly what you envisioned. If you can be present and offer clarity over expectations, and ongoing and frequent coaching and feedback then you are more likely to get exactly what you need. Tolerance and forgiveness of mistakes if lessons are learnt, and feedback listened to helps build trust.
If feedback and coaching doesn’t work, then I like to reflect on what I could have done differently. Was the hiring process not thorough enough, or was there a problem with the role itself (unclear, wrong seniority, overlapping with other roles)? Were my expectations not clearly established and communicated? Did I take too long to notice problems and fail to address them at the earliest opportunity? Did I misjudge how I framed the feedback and lose trust as a result. Even when the right option is for the member of staff to find another job, I want to take responsibility and learnings, so I continue to improve as a manager.
I am currently traveling on business and this post has been drafted on a plane and a train. I hope the unusual writing environment has not changed the tone or style. On the theme of traveling, next week’s post will be on starting work in a foreign country and all the mistakes I have made.