Many bosses
and supervisors understand feedback to be only a combination of praise and
criticism, based on the motto "That was good" and "That was
bad". However, only constructive feedback is encouraging.
- No feedback when things are not going well
Take your
team members seriously and be honestly pleased with them about
successes. But also try to acknowledge your employees when things are
not going so well. In particular in situations like this you are
especially needed. - Generalizations during feedback
Generalizations are the biggest mistake in feedback. Say exactly what's bothering you (and also what pleases you), such as:
"Unfortunately, your suggestions are very inexact, which means that our customers are unable to work with them."
But
if you criticize employees saying "You know nothing about this
subject", or "This project did not go well", the employee immediately
goes on the defensive and stops listening to you. - Assumptions in feedback
Supervisors
like to express assumptions as factual arguments, which can sound like
an insinuation. The response: Your employees defend themselves. Make it
obvious that it is an assumption and do not express it as the truth or
as an objective statement.
Say, "I assume that you sometimes feel overtaxed because this is the first time that you have managed such a large project." - Threats during feedback
Make
what you are trying to achieve clear to your employees and indicate
both positive and negative consequences: "I intend to deploy you for
the next large order if you conclude this one successfully."
However, don't be tempted to make threats. Your employees will then work anxiously or simply clam up. - Late feedback
Carry
out a feedback discussion immediately after the respective meeting or
after the respective project. However, wait a day if emotions are
highly charged. In principle, you should always give the positive
feedback first and then the negative. This makes it easier for the
other person to accept points openly that they may find unpleasant.
Employees who know you well and who have been with you for a long time
know how the meeting will progress – "first positive, then
negative". So, vary the procedure.
Tip: Give feedback as often
as possible so that it becomes a natural management tool. This means that no
employees have to fear feedback and that everyone is able to grow with it.
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