Feedback for the Faint-hearted
How to give and get feedback that improves performance
By Nancy Slessenger
PUBLISHED BY:
Vinehouse essential Ltd at Smashwords
Print version available at vinehouse.com
Feedback for the Faint-hearted
Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Slessenger
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PART OF THE VINEHOUSE TIPS BOOKLET RANGE
Vinehouse.co.uk
The tips and techniques in this booklet are the direct result of my experience working with clients over 20 years.
For further information about:
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To order more booklets, to arrange to license booklets to your intranet, arrange workshops or coaching on how to write your objectives please contact us:
Tel: +44 (0) 1483 811418 Fax: +44 (0) 1483 810951
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Other titles in the series include:
The Quick Guide to Dealing with Difficult People
Time Management Made Easy
Praise and the Appraisal
Feedback for the Faint-hearted
How to Interview Successfully
Memory Tips for Educators
Boost Your Brain in Your Spare Time
Cold Calling for Hot Leads
Attendance Management Tips and Techniques
How to Create and Give PowerPoint Presentations that Work
Virtual Teams
How to Motivate Yourself and Others
How to Give Great Customer Service
How to Deal with Poor Performance
How to Give Great Customer Service
To see our other products, go to:
The tips and techniques in this booklet are the direct result of my experience working with clients over 20 years.
For further information about:
- Quantity purchases
- Other products
- Coaching
- Training
please contact us: Tel: +44 (0) 1483 811418 Fax: +44 (0) 1483 810951 email: info@vinehouse.co.uk www.vinehouse.co.uk
Contents:
About feedback
What forms can feedback take and which is most effective?
Comparison of different methods
When someone has done a great job
Giving written feedback or 360 degree feedback
How to deal with unwanted, unfair or unpleasant feedback
How to deal with complimentary feedback
Key to symbols
√ correct X Wrong
About feedback
1. Without feedback there is no learning.
Feedback enables a person to improve their performance or to sustain already effective performance.
2. Feedback is information about your actions and their consequences that helps you to learn.
Without feedback there is no learning. If you are a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that an individual gets the feedback they need in a form they can understand.
3. There is no such thing as ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ feedback.
True feedback is factual information and is based on what an individual did or said, not on someone’s opinion.
4. Feedback is not about who a person is, or their ‘identity’.
X ‘He is an idiot.’
X ‘She is the ideal candidate.’
X ‘She just isn’t at the right level yet.’
X ‘He’s great.’
These are opinions.
5. Understanding the impact of your actions helps you to make better decisions on what to do next time.
6. To make sure a person knows what they need to do in the future to improve performance or maintain excellent performance.
What forms can feedback take and which is most effective?
7. Feedback can be something that comes in through any of your five senses. Normally it is spoken, so you hear it. A chef would often be seeking feedback from taste or smell.
8. Hearing verbal feedback is often the most ineffective route for many people.
9. experiencing something (through feelings or doing it) or seeing it can be a much more effective route for many.
Giving feedback to others
Advantages and disadvantages of different methods
You ask questions
Advantages:
The individual takes responsibility for the feedback
The individual takes part
They work it out for themselves
The individual has to think
The individual is convinced by what they say
The individual is more likely to understand the feedback correctly
Performance substantially improves
Disadvantages:
You have to come up with questions
You have to think
The answers may be different to the ones you were expecting
Generally it takes longer than telling the individual
You give effective feedback
Advantages:
Performance improves
Disadvantages:
The individual may not listen
The individual may disagree with what you say
The individual may not understand the feedback completely
You give ineffective feedback
Advantages:
Easy to do
Disadvantages:
Individual’s effectiveness can be reduced by over 25%
Comparison of different methods