How can you provide effective feedback to associates struggling with a specific skill?

Once the said skill gap has been identified (how to present a solution versus selling the product), the focus moves from macro to micro. Setting an expectation of time for improvement encourages the power of persistence. Leading with examples and context allows the skill to be addressed in a thorough manner and pivoting towards the solution comes naturally. Allowing time, practice, and consistency to be the greatest leader, this skill will strengthen with time. The ability to change is the key to growth and success. Asses. Address. Reformulate. Practice. Repeat. Confidence in change comes with time.

The first item to clarify is what they want to achieve, and then back up to where they are at currently, and create a plan to get there.

First of all, know your dominant profile and strong point, this way you can highlight something positive to start providing constructive feedback on areas to improve. Reinforcing that feedback is continuous and cannot be momentary.

If feedback is focused toward a specific skill there are several things to consider. 1. Completed training 2. Practice time 3. Coaching received 4. Peer availability 5. Psychological safety If the struggling employee has access to all 5 above then deeper digging is required. Here are some things to consider: 1. Employee has imposter syndrome and needs more support and encouragement 2. Past experience that discouraged honesty and questions. Even if you provide psychological safety, past experience can take time for employees to overcome. 3. Cultural/language difficulty. Some employees problem solve on their own. Sometimes not. If coming from a command and control culture they are less likely to take initiative.

Walk the talk with Behavior Based Valuable inputs. It's ongoing process. Nothing is perfect, Traveling towards better to best.....

??The SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model is an effective way to provide feedback, especially when addressing specific skill-related struggles?? ??Situation: Start by describing the specific situation or context where the skill was demonstrated. ??Behavior: Clearly and specifically outline the behavior or actions related to the skill that you observed. Use concrete examples to illustrate what the individual did or did not do in that situation. ??Impact: Explain the impact of the observed behavior on the situation or others. Highlight the consequences or results of the skill-related struggle. Be sure to focus on the tangible outcomes or effects.

I found this model is very important. The first stage can make or break this conversation. You must know the situation clearly when you are speaking to the person.

I would tweak this a little bit, if the user who is struggling is able, to asking them questions rather than tell them what you observed. If you can lead them to an understanding, it's much better than just telling them. It gets in more.

Go beyond Situation, Behavior, and Impact. Don’t forget to talk about the Now What. By specifically discussing the behaviors to continue, you help the individual understand the actionable behaviors to focus on to be successful.

This is my go-to technique to provide feedback. One can seldom go wrong as the SBI model helps you stay on specific situation and keeping the feedback relevant

This is very important as a leader. Knowing how to give a direct report a balanced level of feedback to avoid demoralizing the associate by constantly giving only negative feedback. A lot of managers and leaders focus on the negative feedback and developmental areas of direct reports, and this is a morale killer. It is important to let your team members also know where they stand strong and what they can do to master their strengths whilst working on the developmental arears.

??Essential for constructive communication and personal growth: ??Specificity: Be specific in both your positive and negative feedback. Provide details about what the person did well or what needs improvement. Vague feedback can be confusing and less impactful. ??Timeliness: Offer feedback promptly, whether it's positive or negative. Timely feedback allows for immediate reinforcement or correction, making it more effective. ??Constructiveness: Both positive & negative feedback should be constructive. Positive feedback should motivate and reinforce good behavior, while negative feedback should offer solutions and encourage growth. ??Balance: Maintain a healthy balance between positive and negative feedback.

Balancing feedback involves recognizing what someone excels at, like their teamwork, and offering constructive feedback, such as suggesting more detail in their reports. It's about creating a well-rounded conversation.

I've always found that approaching feedback like a "complement sandwich" as it needs to come in layers for it to be effective and motivating. Complement Improvement of skills Complement Its not that the associate isn't stellar in other areas its that there is a weak spot that is noticed and we TOGETHER need to focus and give attention to support the team. Explicitly giving just the weak area is detrimental to their confidence. You need to motivate them to want to improve. "Look at what your doing over here.. awesome job...." "here is an area where some improvement can make a huge impact for the team" Make suggestions but don't solve the problem. Allow the associate to put in the work for themselves. The complement is in the teamwork.

Feedback is never negative but constructive. The purpose of feedback is to help the individual grow and develop. When receiving feedback, one should always actively listen. You should never deny, defend, or deflect. Simply thank the person providing the feedback. It is up to you whether to use their feedback or not.

?? Involving associates in the feedback process: ??Two-Way Communication: Create a feedback culture where associates are encouraged to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. ??Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with associates to discuss their progress, goals & challenges. ??Self Assessment: Ask them to reflect on their strengths and areas for growth. This self-reflection can lead to more meaningful discussions during feedback sessions. ??Goal Setting Together: Collaborate with associates to set performance goals & objectives. Ensure that these goals align with the team's and organization's objectives. ??Feedback on Feedback: After providing feedback, ask associates for their thoughts on the feedback process itself

I've found that involving associates in the feedback process can be pretty impactful. For example, instead of just giving feedback on a colleague's presentation, I asked them how they thought it went and what they felt they did really well. This approach not only encouraged them to think about their performance but also sparked a productive conversation. They shared their insights on areas they wanted to work on, and we brainstormed together on how to boost their skills. It became a real team effort, and they took charge of their own growth.

Feedback is definitely two way. Ask the persons to tell you what they think and you must listen. Once you show that you are really listen the receiver sees this as a conversation worth their time.

Feedback is definitely a conversation. I have found asking the employee "what do you feel you do well" and "what would you like to do differently". If an employee is self-aware, you will often get where you want to go by these two questions. In addition, I believe it is very important to maintain the employee's self-esteem and end the conversation on a positive note.

One thing a leader does is to always allow the associate to rate themselves and also explain how and why they would rate themselves that particular score for the period in question. This allows you as a leader to see the performance of the associate through their eyes and allows you to also guide them to see their performance through different lenses.

An essential step in providing feedback is to follow up at regular intervals on the progress being made. Since feedback is not a one time event and an ongoing activity, following up helps the employee stay on task and keep progressing to master the same.

Associates want their manager to walk the path with them to stellar performance. I always hate hearing feedback from other associates who were given poor performance reviews and it was the FIRST time they were hearing that something was lacking in their performance when they could have corrected something. That is bad performance on their manager. That is why it is so important for the associate to be an advocate for their own performance. Keep asking for feedback. Keep asking for suggestions. Keep your manager involved in what your doing that is moving the department forward. The manager should know a majority of this but if they don't, reinforce the achievements so when it comes to performance there are no surprises.

Where a skill gap has been observed in an associate, politely tell them how or what tool can make them better hone that skill. Commend them for the progress they have made.

his includes regular check-ins and reviews with the associate to ensure their growth. It's essential to set clear goals and provide feedback on their feedback. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding their efforts and accomplishments is vital. This continuous monitoring allows you to celebrate their achievements, offer consistent support and guidance, address challenges, and adapt feedback or goals as necessary.

Follow-up and monitoring progress is important, but offering options is oftentimes what is lacking in this kind of communication. Verify if the person is aware, sometimes they are and the frustration comes from not knowing what to do to fix the situation. If possible offer solutions that you may be aware of that may be able to assist. And since monitoring is part of the process showing that you are on their side will prevent adverse emotions from appearing, which would be counter-intuitive against the goal. The point here is to help, so that is what should be happening.

?? Make it timely! ?? It is usually best to give praise when an employee’s achievement is still fresh. ?? The best kind of constructive feedback focuses on behaviour or situations, not people and personalities.

Recognition is an essential part of feedback. If you always provide constructive feedback, someone may feel like they never do anything correct. This can impact how they interact with you. Celebrate the success and the wins, and well as discuss the opportunities. Also, feedback should be regular and consistent. Make it conversational. Create an environment where feedback is expected. People will be more comfortable with feedback if it occurs frequently. Lastly, feedback is a two way street. Be that leader who is not only comfortable with giving feedback but receiving feedback also. This makes you open and approachable as a leader. Your team will be comfortable with coming to you and discussing their ideas.