Providing feedback is one of the most impactful tools in a leader’s toolbox. Feedback is not merely about pointing out mistakes or ticking boxes during performance reviews; it’s a powerful mechanism for growth, motivation, and connection within teams. For leaders, mastering the art of feedback is essential to creating an effective and engaged workplace culture.
Why Feedback Matters
Imagine trying to navigate your career blindfolded. Feedback provides employees with clarity about their performance, helping them understand what they are doing well and where they can improve. In its absence, employees can feel uncertain about their abilities and struggle to gauge their progress and effectiveness in their roles. This uncertainty can erode confidence, undermine motivation, and lead to disengagement..
It is important to recognise that the feedback you give not only provides information about an individual’s performance on a specific task but also influences their future expectations and their motivational state. This means that how you present feedback can significantly impact your employee’s motivation and future behaviour.
The Different Forms of Feedback
Feedback in the workplace comes in various shapes and forms, and understanding these distinctions helps leaders tailor their approach for maximum imp
Formal Feedback: Typically part of performance appraisals, formal feedback sessions are scheduled and structured, providing a thorough evaluation of an employee’s performance over a specific period.
Informal Feedback: These are less structured conversations that happen regularly, offering timely feedback that can be immediately acted upon. It is great for maintaining ongoing dialogue and addressing issues as they arise.
The direction of feedback also matters:
Downwards Feedback: Provided by leaders to their employees, it is crucial for guiding performance, setting expectations, facilitating employee development, and motivating employees.
Upwards Feedback: Provided by employees to their leaders, it offers insight into how leaders actions and decisions impact their team and highlights areas where managers might need to adjust their approach to better support their team. Encouraging upward feedback builds trust and creates an open, collaborative culture where employees are given a voice.
Lateral Feedback: Occurring between colleagues at the same organisational level, it is essential for fostering collaboration and teamwork. It allows colleagues to learn from each other and improve their skills through shared insights. This type of feedback can help address issues or misunderstandings before they escalate.
Five Pillars of Feedback
To ensure feedback achieves its desired outcomes, leaders can use these five pillars as a guide:
Focus on Effort and Control: Feedback is most impactful when it emphasises elements within an employee’s control—effort, strategy, and behaviour—rather than fixed traits, talent or ability. Recognising effort and things within their control can helps employees see that improvement is achievable and reinforces a growth mindset. Conversely, criticising abilities can leave employees feeling demoralised and helpless.
Instructional and Non-Confrontational: Feedback should be constructive, forward-looking and solution oriented, focusing on what the employee can do to improve. Avoid confrontational tones that may make employees feel attacked or blamed. When feedback is solution-focused, employees feel supported rather than criticised, making them more receptive to the message. It also provides clarity about what needs to change and how.
Non-Controlling Language: Feedback should respect employees’ autonomy by offering guidance and suggestions rather than rigid directives. Non-controlling feedback fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment. Employees are more likely to act on feedback when they feel they have a choice in how to address it. Within this process, leaders can offer suggestions. “you could do…”, “you might consider…”
Include Praise: Effective feedback is a two-way street. While identifying areas for improvement is crucial, recognising achievements and strengths is equally important. For example, acknowledge the effort already invested, existing strengths, progress already made. This approach prevents employees from feeling overly criticised and maintains their confidence.
Evaluator Traits: Feedback is only as impactful as the person delivering it. Feedback is most persuasive and perceived as sincere and when the provider is viewed as knowledgeable, reliable and trustworthy. Therefore, is important to consider who is the best person to deliver the feedback.
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