Giving feedback is one of the most important things that you can do as a manager, yet it’s also one of the most difficult. It’s hard to give feedback that is both meaningful and helpful. In order to do this, you need to understand how feedback works and what makes it effective.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to give feedback that actually helps improve performance. We’ll start by discussing the different types of feedback and why they are ineffective.
Then we’ll talk about the four steps to giving effective feedback. Finally, we’ll provide some tips for making sure that your feedback is meaningful and helpful.
1. Understand The Difference Between Criticism And Feedback
When it comes to giving feedback, it’s important to understand the difference between criticism and feedback. Feedback is a way to provide objective information that can help someone improve their work. Criticism, on the other hand, is a way to express your subjective opinion about someone’s work, which often includes negative emotions like anger or disappointment.
It’s important to remember that feedback should always be given with the goal of helping someone improve their work. Criticism, on the other hand, is more about airing your grievances and doesn’t always have that goal in mind.
2. Criticism Is Destructive, While Feedback Is Constructive
Criticism and feedback are both important aspects of any learning environment. However, there is a big difference between the two. Criticism is often seen as being destructive, while feedback is seen as being constructive.
Criticism can be harmful because it often involves attacking someone’s ideas or actions. This can make people feel defensive and discouraged. Feedback, on the other hand, is designed to help people improve. It usually involves giving people information about what they did well and what could be improved.
Feedback is useful because it can help people learn and grow. It can also help them feel appreciated and supported. Criticism often does the opposite, making people feel angry, frustrated, and discouraged.
3. Feedback Should Be Specific, Objective, And Actionable
When giving feedback, it’s important to be specific, objective, and actionable. This means that you should avoid vague comments, focus on the facts, and provide clear instructions on how the recipient can improve.
For example, rather than saying “you’re doing a bad job,” you might say “I noticed that you didn’t include a table of contents in your report. It would be helpful to have one to help readers navigate through the document.” This provides concrete steps for improvement and is more likely to be effective.
ERP can be used to give feedback in a number of ways. One way is to use it to track goals and objectives. This can help you see if someone is meeting their goals and provide feedback on how they can improve.
Another way to use ERP is to track employee performance. This can help you identify areas where someone needs improvement and provide feedback on how they can improve.
Finally, Logistics ERP can also be used to track customer satisfaction. This can help you see if customers are happy with your products or services and provide feedback on how you can improve them.
When it comes to giving feedback, make sure that you’re using a CRM to help manage the process. By tracking feedback in a CRM\, you can ensure that it is specific, objective, and actionable. This will help make sure that your feedback is effective and helps improve performance.
4. Avoid Giving Feedback When You’re Angry Or Frustrated
When giving feedback, it’s important to be clear and concise. However, sometimes we may not be in the right state of mind to do so. If you’re angry or frustrated, it’s best to wait until you’ve calmed down before giving feedback. This way, you can avoid communicating in a way that’s ineffective or harmful.
For example, imagine that you’re a manager and one of your employees has just made a mistake. If you’re angry, you might yell at the employee or give them a stern talking-to. However, this type of feedback is likely to be ineffective and may even damage the relationship between you and the employee.
Alternatively, if you wait until you’ve calmed down, you can provide feedback in a more constructive way. You might explain why the mistake was problematic and suggest ways that the employee could improve in the future. This type of feedback is more likely to be helpful and will likely make the employee more receptive to your suggestions.
5. Make A Point To Give Feedback Regularly
One of the most important things you can do as a leader is to give feedback regularly. Feedback is a great way to help team members improve their performance and it can also help build better relationships.
When giving feedback, it’s important to be specific. For example, rather than saying “you did a bad job,” try saying “I noticed that you didn’t follow the instructions in the project plan. What happened?” This will help the team member understand what they need to work on.
Another important thing to keep in mind when giving feedback is to be positive. For example, if someone does something well, say “thank you.” This will help the team member feel valued and appreciated.
6. Follow Up After Giving Feedback To Make Sure It Was Effective
When you give feedback, it’s important to follow up to make sure that it was effective. This means checking in with the person you gave feedback to and seeing if they were able to implement your suggestions.
If they weren’t able to, then you need to figure out why and help them get on the right track. Sometimes giving feedback can be difficult, but it’s worth it when you see the person you helped improve their skills.
7. Celebrate Successes And Learn From Failures
With any endeavor, it is important to celebrate successes and learn from failures. In order to grow and improve, it is essential to reflect on what has worked and what has not. This applies to both personal and professional pursuits.
For example, a company might analyze how a new marketing campaign performed, in order to determine whether it was successful. If the campaign yielded positive results, the company might replicate those tactics in future campaigns. If the campaign failed, the company might try a different approach.
Similarly, an individual might reflect on a job interview that went well, in order to determine what went well and what could be improved for future interviews. Alternatively, if an interview went poorly, the individual might try to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.
In both cases, it is important, to be honest with oneself and examine all aspects of the situation. By doing so, one can learn from successes and failures in order to grow and improve.
Conclusion:
Giving feedback is an important part of any leader’s toolkit. By following the tips in this article, you can learn how to give feedback that is clear, concise, and helpful.
Feedback can be a great way to help team members improve their performance and it can also help build better relationships. When giving feedback, be sure to be specific and positive. Follow up after giving feedback to make sure it was effective.
Celebrate successes and learn from failures in order to grow and improve.
