At work everyone needs to receive feedback on performance. You - like everyone you work with - need to know whether or not you:

• Are meeting expectations - both your managers' and your organisation's
• Are doing a good job
• Could do a better job - and, if so, in what way
• Are performing well enough to gain promotion

When people do not receive feedback on performance, they have no idea whether they are doing OK. As a result they can become confused, disillusioned and demotivated.

For example people who are not told that they are doing well soon take the view that it is pointless to work hard around here and because it isn't recognised; or nothing I do is good enough, so I may as well stop trying.

And people who are not told their performance needs to improve will take the view, I don't need to work harder, or do anything differently, because no one has said anything.

Feedback on performance can be:

Positive - you are doing really well!

Or

Negative - there are improvement you need to make

But regardless whether the feedback is positive or negative, it should always be constructive, never destructive.

Unless someone is made aware that they need to do something differently, stop doing something, or start doing something else, it is unlikely that there will be any change in their behaviour.

Say, for instance, that you always prepare reports for your boss in a certain way. He/ she receives the report, seems to read them, and never makes critical or negative comments about the reports to you. It would be reasonably safe to assume, under these circumstances, that she is satisfied with what you are doing. You would, probably, continue to prepare the reports in the same old way, without changing anything. After all, why should you? She hasn't said anything - no feedback on your performance - so you must be doing OK.

If you want someone to change their behaviour, then you must offer feedback on performance and explain:

• What do you want them to do differently
• Why do you want them to do it
• How you want it done

Guidelines for giving constructive feedback on performance

The way in which you, as a team leader or a manager, give feedback on performance can make or break a working relationship. If you focus on the negative aspects of the performance to the extent of everything else, and offer a large dose of harsh criticism, the other person is likely to feel annoyed, upset and demotivated.

If, on the other hand, you fail to make your concerns clear and offer only pleasant and encouraging remarks, the other person will walk away from the meeting believing that they are doing a good job and there is no need for them to change.

To ensure that, when you give feedback on performance, this is effective, constructive and productive, make sure that you:

• Keep it private - make sure that the feedback is given on a one to one basis, behind closed doors, without an audience of onlookers
• Are direct, open and honest
• Are aware of the impact of your words and body language
• Listen as well as talk
• Provide detailed examples of behaviour that needs to be changed
• Express your feeling so that your listener can see how their behaviour is impacting on you, the department, the organisation
• Offer clear guidelines for improvement - describe the changes you want
• Offer feedback as soon as possible after the performance of the task
• Set a deadline for improvement
• End the meeting on a positive, upbeat note
• Monitor the situation and if necessary, meet again for further discussion

Next week: Receiving feedback

Source: University of Leicester, through RDI Jamaica. www.rdijamaica.com

Feedback: jobsmart@gleanerjm.com