No one likes to give negative feedback, but everyone wants to hear it. It’s a paradoxical truth.

What employees find helpful to improve their work performance is for their managers to provide corrective feedback – appropriately delivered.

Based on data by Zenger Folkman from 899 individuals – 49% from the United States of America (US) and the remaining from outside of the US – it was found that people want corrective feedback IF it is provided in a constructive manner. Out of every four individuals, three believe corrective feedback does even more to improve their performance than positive feedback.

Zenger Folkman describes feedback as “any conversation designed to convey a message that one person believes to be important for another person to hear.”

Corrective feedback refers to suggestions for improvement, explorations of new and better ways to do things, or pointing out something that was done in a less that optimal way. Positive feedback includes praise, reinforcement, and congratulatory comments.

When delivered thoughtfully, feedback is a powerful vehicle for building trust, and ultimately, your leadership effectiveness.Source: Unsplash

Impact of a no feedback culture

What would it be like if there was no feedback culture  in the organisation?

What would it be like when it comes to wage adjustments and promotions? What if no direction or guidelines were given on a project and later you find out through the grapevine that your supervisors were not satisfied with your work? What are the consequences when a team member constantly misses project deadlines? How is the organisation impacted if the leadership team does not address these issues?

It can lead to feelings of betrayal that fuel toxic work environments. And as you repeatedly experience these things, you begin to feel like your work isn’t important, that management is not concerned about you or your success, or that you are being set up to fail. These feelings then lead to employee disengagement.

A toxic work environment is further enhanced if the leaders, managers and team members call out others when a mistake is made, shift the blame from one team member to another or provide only negative input to an action or process.

Source: Unsplash

Feedback & trust building

Trust building experts and consultants, Reina Trust Building^®, highlight 3 symptoms of trust erosion in the workplace: gossip, breaking confidentiality and getting even. How is this related to giving feedback? Let’s take a look at an example.

Rather than addressing a performance issue directly with an individual, team members discuss it with everyone else.

“He’s constantly not delivering up to par work and never on time too. Wonder when he’s gonna get fired.”

“Well, he’s on the boss’ good side, so that ain’t gonna happen.”

“That’s not fair, if he misses the deadlines, my team has to work overtime to deliver on the project. The holidays are coming and I don’t want to be working through it. My wife and kids will be very upset!”

“He’s not married, so it wouldn’t bother him if he has to work over the holidays. Maybe that’s why he’s slacking. He feels he has the time…”

“Well in that case, I ain’t gonna give him the data he needs to churn out the next reports. I’ll just delay getting them to him.”

 

And so the gossip grapevine grows. A tit-for-tat behaviour begins, and may even continue to grow if not addressed. Negative feelings and distrust grow. The latter then becomes a stronghold and team members start not to work well together. People start to watch what they say, stop sharing information and ideas and start getting stressed.

If a feedback process is in place, there are less chances of the gossip grapevine being nourished and for team members to spend time looking for ways to get even.

However, if the process is in place but the feedback conversations are not kept confidential, this again creates room for misunderstandings and distrust within the team. So keep those feedback conversations confidential.

What then is created is a culture of trust in the workplace which impacts the team’s effectiveness as they work better together.

Source: Unsplash

Gift packaging feedback

Most people desire corrective feedback and believe that it does improve their performance. But it needs to be provided in a constructive and helpful manner.

We’ve heard the saying that feedback is a gift. When we present a gift to someone, we have the person’s needs, desires and likes in mind. We put in effort to package the gift carefully as well.

Have that in mind when delivering feedback – it will be worth your time and effort to place yourself in the receiver’s frame of mind. It will build trust in your team and your organisation.

If you are keen on learning how to equip yourself and your team leaders with skills on providing feedback, or be coached in this area, get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to start a discussion with you.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

Lifeskills Institute is a Certified Trust Practitioner of the Reina Team Trust Scale by Reina, A Trust Building^® Consultancy.

Reina, A Trust Building^® Consultancy focuses on the comprehensive study of trust-building: defining it with measurable benchmarks and applying that knowledge to organisations so people and workplaces can thrive.

Most of us would just appreciate just plain ‘ol direct honesty when given feedback.

When we use the regular ‘hamburger method’ of giving feedback, the recipient usually starts to brace himself for the thick patty in between the thin buns. Which means that the top bun, the positive feedback, sounds like you’re just softening the upcoming blow. The positive feedback given can also seem to be pretty insincere even if truly delivered with all sincerity.

Some of us, however, are really genuine about giving the positive feedback. Well, that could still not be beneficial for the recipient as he might just gloss over the corrective feedback, especially when we end on a positive note once again!

The giver of the feedback may feel good at the end of the session, but both the recipient and the giver do not benefit from the session.

Before going on further, let’s understand what feedback is. Zenger Folkman describes feedback as “any conversation designed to convey a message that one person believes to be important for another person to hear.”

Source: Unsplash

Ask for feedback

“Creating a culture where one feels safe to openly share and receive feedback ideally begins with the manager taking the lead and setting the example of being eager to receive it.”
~ Zenger Folkman ~

In a recent article by Ryan Pendell, Workplace Science Writer at Gallup^[1], he wrote that ‘nearly half of employees say they get feedback from their manager a few times a year or less’ and suggests that increasing the frequency of conversations with employees might make it more likely for managers to identify ‘concerns, roadblocks and signs of disengagement’ long before an employee resigns.

What if the frequency of these conversations increase but they proved not to be useful conversations? A report^[2] cited by Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman in their paper^[3], found that while 62% of leaders rated themselves as highly effective at providing others with honest, straightforward feedback, other research reported that 60% of employees say they had not received any useful feedback in the past six months.

How can we improve the latter percentage? Is there a way to provide feedback that would be perceived as useful to the recipient?

Well, it starts with the manager. The manager can take the lead in the feedback process by being eager to receive it.

Zenger Folkman’s research^[4] from over 50,000 leaders clearly shows that leaders who ask for feedback are perceived more positively than those who are good at giving feedback. A manager’s willingness to ask for specific feedback is a way to both demonstrate how to ask, and also demonstrate the way it is ideally received. Their willingness then creates a culture where one feels safe to openly share and receive feedback.

Ed Batista, executive coach and an Instructor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business agrees: “We can’t just sit back and wait for feedback to be offered, particularly when we’re in a leadership role. If we want feedback to take root in the culture, we need to explicitly ask for it.”

Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman of Zenger Folkman believe that feedback is the cornerstone skill underlying a number of leadership responsibilities. It is central to conducting effective performance reviews, a critical ingredient of good coaching and absolutely necessary for the implementation of a performance management system. It is extremely helpful in inspiring and motivating high performance in the workplace.^[5]

Source: Pexels

Barriers to providing feedback

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
~ George Bernard Shaw ~

As much as we understand the importance and benefits of feedback, for some, it can be difficult to deliver.

Our own filters, based on our own perceptions and experiences, could impact the process. The recipient may also have a negative bias based on their own perceptions and experiences that could cause them to be cautious or even resistant when feedback is delivered. Managers who are more introverted can find feedback a difficult behaviour to practice. Staff may be smart enough to evade any chance of his manager giving corrective feedback, especially if he knows that he is not giving his best performance at work.

Providing feedback, be it positive or negative, need not be as challenging as it has been made out to be. Neither is it that easy. If carefully administered, it could be more beneficial for both the giver and recipient.

It’s in the art of communicating the feedback that causes the message to be caught by both sides.

Source: Unsplash

Giving positive feedback

“When leaders give more positive feedback than negative, they are perceived as more effective leaders.”
~ Joe Folkman ~

When you give feedback to your subordinates, do you tend to do so in such a way that you’re leading them to ‘prove’ a certain mindset which limits their future performance? What do we mean by that? For example, do you praise your team member’s highly analytical ability or creative problem solving skills? If you do, it sends a message that encourages them to seek to prove that image of them and avoid anything that would jeopardise it.

What you could do when you give positive feedback to your team members is to commend them for the hard work they exhibit or the flexibility with which they approached a task. That would then reinforce a continual desire for them to learn and develop themselves, and take on even more challenging assignments. This may sound like a small distinction, but it has colossal long-term consequences.

Giving corrective feedback

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
– Winston Churchill

However, the art is in the delivery and timing of providing feedback, be it positive or corrective. So that it will be most effective for the recipient and at the same time beneficial for the giver of the feedback.

Here are some suggestions that may help the process of giving corrective feedback:

Bold enough to change?

Asking for feedback from your team could be the start of a new culture in your team or organisation. It may be uncomfortable at the start and may take time to adapt to. Keeping your eyes focused on the long-term benefits of moving in that direction, however, could help you to keep going in that direction. Being coached in this area could also help.

Communicating positive and corrective feedback can be challenging and is a skill that is not inborn in any one of us. However, it is a skill that can be learnt and honed.

Learning the skill may be the first step in the right direction. But are we bold enough to put it into practice? It starts with the managers being willing to ask and receive feedback from their subordinates.

If you are keen on learning how to equip yourself and your team leaders with skills on providing feedback, get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to start a discussion with you.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

Lifeskills Institute is the strategic partner of Zenger Folkman for Singapore and Malaysia. Our Chief Enabling Officer, Ian Tan is a Master Facilitator certified by Zenger Folkman.

Zenger Folkman is a strengths-based leadership development company helping leaders elevate their people and organisations. Co-founders Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman utilise empirical data and behavioural evidence to help leaders become extraordinary.

 Reference:

^[1] 5 Ways Managers Can Stop Employee Turnover, Ryan Pendell
^[2] Cornerstone on Demand, Employee Report (Nov 2012)
^[3]  Feedback: The Powerful Paradox – How to make feedback a gift, Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman
^[4]&[5] Ibid

Great leaders make a huge difference when compared to merely good leaders. The more great leaders you develop in your organisation, the more it will become an outstanding organisation.

Too good to be true?

What if we showed you statistics that implied an incremental improvement of leadership effectiveness of your good leaders will not exponentially boost your company’s performance? Would that provoke you to think about what you can do to make them rise to higher levels so that your organisation becomes extraordinary? Or is being a ‘good’ company good enough for you?

We believe there is no reason to accept mediocrity in leadership any more than in software programming, customer service, or selling.

How would you respond if we produced data that verified employee satisfaction had a substantially more positive result when there is greater leadership effectiveness? Would that stir your inquisitiveness on how that is possible and implementable?

How about proof that top leaders from a large insurance company cut the average turnover rate in their groups by 10% compared to leaders in the bottom range, and by 5% compared to those in the mid-range? And we know that reduced turnover directly impacts profitability, customer satisfaction, and in this case, claim-resolution speed.

If we indeed produced such figures, what would you do differently? Would you be happy with the good performance in your team, or would you like your team to rise to higher levels, become great leaders; moving your team and perhaps even your organisation to be more outstanding?

Assuming you say you’d like to see them rise to higher levels, after all which leader would want their teams and organisations to remain at a plateau, right, how can it be done? Is it even realistic to have everybody in my organisation to be great leaders or even just my team alone?

Aren’t great leaders born? Can they be made? And can ALL my team members possibly become great leaders? If it is indeed possible, wouldn’t I lose them to competitors after they become great?

Defining a great leader

Genetic makeup does appear to account for about one-third of the traits and behaviours that define exceptional leaders[1]. Some people are born with a high energy level, keen intellect and emotional hardiness. These are helpful traits, but they fail to explain the late-blooming leader. They also fail to explain the promising youth who gets derailed and never recovers.

But what makes a great leader great in the first place? What are their traits and behaviours?

A definition of an extremely effective leader offered by Zenger Folkman is one who produces high productivity, low turnover, high customer satisfaction, high profitability, innovation and positive relationships with suppliers. Based on research carried out by them, great leadership consists of possessing several building blocks of capabilities. And each of these building blocks complement the other building blocks.

These building blocks include

• Character
• Personal capabilities
• Focus on results
• Interpersonal skills and
• Leading organisational change

However, possessing just one of these building blocks is not likely to cause you to be rated at the high-percentile in terms of overall leadership. To be a highly effective leader, one needs to have at least one strength under each of these building blocks. But more of that later.

What happens if my leaders are not all great?

The advantage of having great leaders in an organisation is that the organisation will be stronger. Stronger as they are able to be role models for the entire organisation. Stronger as there is now an elevated standard of performance that is set within the organisation. And multiple other reasons.

A company of great leaders results in higher employee satisfaction, net profits and customer satisfaction. It also lowers employee turnover and intention to leave. Who wouldn’t want that, right?

What then happens if my leaders are not all great?

Well, poor leaders naturally have an adverse impact on the groups they try to lead as well as on the overall performance of the organisation they are in. However, it is the results of the middle deciles that would have a significant impact on any organisation. Just take a look at one aspect, employee satisfaction. Based on research, employee satisfaction substantially improves as leadership effectiveness increases.

Source: The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers Into Great Leaders, John H Zenger & Joseph R Folkman.

Can great leaders be made?

We are convinced that, to a great degree, leaders can be made.

Based on research and data from hundreds of thousands of leadership assessments by Zenger Folkman from the direct reports of leaders, their peers, bosses and themselves, it is indeed possible to unravel the mystery of leadership, understand the nature of leadership and how best to develop it. These are first-hand studies of leadership based on actual data points, not from experiences or observations of leaders.

For example, based on data gathered from leaders in the healthcare industry across the world, it was found that the five behaviours that drive employee commitment in this industry are:

1. Skilful at getting people to stretch for goals that go beyond what they originally thought possible
2. Energises others to achieve exceptional results
3. Creates an atmosphere of continual improvement in which self and others push to exceed the expected results
4. Inspires others to high levels of effort and performance
5. Keeps people focused on the highest priority goals

If you knew what the top five behaviours that drove employee commitment in your industry or in your organisation, what would you do differently? Would you start to develop your leaders differently?

A client of ours in the automotive services industry believed that their key leaders could become great leaders. When one of their key personnel, a senior leader in operations, had joined their Asia operations from Europe, he came with his authoritative-directive style of leadership. His leadership style didn’t sit well with his team members. Instead of shipping him back home, his company had him join a leadership development programme that caused him to realise and understand what his team members desired in a leader.

Working with us through one-to-one executive coaching sessions and attending our leadership programme, he was able to focus on how to change his communication style and lead his team more effectively.

Before his tenure was over, another 360 degree feedback was conducted and his results improved. However, he was taken aback when his team became emotional when they found out he was leaving them. He had not realised the extent of impact he had made on them during his short term with the company. What a turnaround.

He, and others we have worked with, is a living testimony that great leaders can indeed be made.

Are you keen on creating an organisation of top performers? What difference would it make to you? Get in touch with us if you’d like to explore creating that team. We’ll be happy to start a discussion with you.

Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

Lifeskills Institute is the strategic partner of Zenger Folkman for Singapore and Malaysia.
Our Chief Enabling Officer, Ian Tan is a Master Facilitator certified by Zenger Folkman.

Zenger Folkman is a strengths-based leadership development company helping leaders elevate their people and organisations. Co-founders Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman utilise empirical data and behavioral evidence to help leaders become extraordinary.

[1] The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers Into Great Leaders, John H Zenger & Joseph R Folkman

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I was super excited when I was offered the Lifeskills Institute scholarship for the Stress Management Certification course. I have always wanted to attend the course so that I am able to assist others in managing the stress.

As a trainer, I hope to be able to provide some insights to promote self-awareness and resilience. I wish to do more for people. Thus, I try to empower myself to be more relevant by taking various courses to enhance my knowledge and skills.

With recent new policies and changes taking place almost once every 2 months, people are trying to keep up with the changes, especially those in the Food & Beverages industry. Employees are under tremendous stress due to the uncertainties. First, they feared that their schedule will be cut due to limitation of diners at each time. If the business is not making enough, they will go out of job. Even with the support from the government, some smaller companies are still struggling to keep themselves afloat. Through conversations with many frontline staff, they had flagged out that they are experiencing tremendous stress since the start of pandemic, but they coped by “grumbling”.

We are all in this pandemic together. I hope with my new knowledge on stress management, I can be of an assistance by lending a listening ear, helping them to identify the stressors and simply becoming a friend to them, having meaningful conversations effectively.

Once they are willing to allow me to suggest some changes to their current situation, we will be able to work on crafting out simple action plans together to achieve their desired goal in stress management. Getting there is never easy, but with their trust and faith, I believe we will get there eventually.

While I am not yet an experienced practitioner, I am sure with the new knowledge which I have gained through this Certification course, I am now more equipped to guide them through this stressful season. At the end of the day, everyone has our own stress to deal with-the difference is different people deal with stress differently. They will have an avenue to release their inner feeling without worries. It would be great to see people having their smiles on their faces again. The more I learn, the more I can give so that we can all grow together.

Knowledge and learning can be contagious. When people start to believe that what they have applied to help themselves is beneficial, they will share and try to teach those who may not be informed. I am convinced it would even reach a stage where they will want to find out more about the different tools and strategies , and they will likely also sign up for classes. And through these strategies and tools I am able to share with them to better manage their stress, they would also guide people around them to better manage theirs.

Chew Chee Siong 

Learning & Development Professional at RE&S Enterprises Pte Ltd