Continuous Feedback the key to effective Performance

Leaders and Managers should be continuously shaping their teams by giving continuous feedback.  This will take the form of a conversation, discussion, chat and a dialogue that feels so normal and comfortable everyone including the Leader welcomes it.

Feedback should never be saved up and delivered at the annual appraisal, surprising employees with incidents that had happened so much earlier in the year they will find irrelevant to their current performance.

The gift of feedback is that it can shape the behaviours you are looking for within your team, and drive performance.

Working as a coach the mistake I hear from leaders, is taking too long to deliver the feedback, sometimes  not wanting to upset an individual or  not wanting to do it badly means they avoid it.  The biggest error is giving feedback on character and not behaviour.  The statement you were "unprofessional" seems a slight on the invidual.  By using "SBI" = situation/behaviour/impact you can frame what you are saying.

• Situation - "At the meeting last week..."
• Behaviour - "I saw you dismiss Carl's figures"
• Impact - "What do you think is the impact on Carl and the meeting as a whole?"

The last part of the SBI model involves you as a Leader listening.  You must never assume you are right, does the individual have valid justification for dismissing the figures.  Ask really simple open questions "How do you see the situation?" Question by getting the individual to self assess, were they displaying the behaviours that match your values as a team.  As a pair discuss what was going on and how you can play it differently going forward. Be supportive after the feedback, and available.  Another mistake that Leaders make that once the deed is done they don't want to revisit the incident. 

Always praise immediately and constructive feedback ensure that it happens within 24 hours of the event.  Constructive is not always good in the moment if emotions are high, there is a danger that the feedback won't land.

As a Leader gather feedback on how you give feedback.  Working with a coach can support this, talking through scenarios and reflecting on how effective the feedback was and whether performance has improved.  Please do get in touch for one to one coaching bev@nuggetsoflearning.co.uk