7 Steps How to Give Effective Feedback

1. Create dialogue as an integral part of your leadership. 

The dialogue enables your co-worker to engage actively in their job. The dialogue creates a feedback loop and enables responses to the needs, pace and interests of your team. 

2. Heed the power of language.

Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on leadership and achievements but this impact can be either positive or negative. Feedback must include comment on weaker aspects of your team-member, however it should be offered sensitively. The inclusion of praise will motivate and empower your co-worker to build on their existing strengths while working to improve the weaker areas in their work. 

a) Be honest but include praise where it is due.

b) Make criticism less personal by using, ‘your work’ rather than ‘you’. 

c) Explain terms you use, rather than assuming that there is common understanding.

d) Wherever possible, phrase comments in such a way that they are applicable to both the present example and transferable to other work. 

e) Offer practical tips for resolving issues.

f) Be firm, clear and encouraging. 

3. Use ‘feed-in’ information

The information that you give your team-member about their impending assignments is what I call ‘feed-in’. Make sure that your assignment or objectives briefs gives the correct information in clear language, and include the marking criterias. 

4. Provide ‘feed-forward’ (formative feedback).

It is particularly important to give formative feedback or ‘feedforward’ during the process, allowing your co-worker to digest it and make relevant updates to their work. Feed-forward focuses on improving the current work, but also on developing skills for subsequent assessments. 

Use the HACE principle - All feedback Honest, Analytical, Constructive and Empowering.

Provide a checklist for your co-worker and get them to check their performance.

5. Give meaningful and timely ‘feedback’.

Employee value feedback more when it is timely and prompt i.e. received while the assessment they have just completed is still fresh in their minds, and before the next assessment is due. 

Where possible give instant feedback.

Ensure that your comments relate to the marking criteria and match the grade that you give.

Create a ‘feedback bank’ (see below). 

6. Think creatively about feedback processes.

Media research suggests that co-workers respond well to alternative methods of providing feedback. Spoken feedback can be quicker, much richer and personalised, with intonation and voice used positively to encourage learning. Giving and storing feedback in electronic formats has real benefits and removes illegibility issues. Build a ‘feedback bank’ of common comments, from which you can copy and paste – this frees up time to personalise key sections of feedback. 

7. Make the most of face to face feedback.

There is a power dynamic that exists between the leader and the team-member. It is important to recognise this and make efforts to ensure that the face-to-face feedback environment is comfortable and conducive to discussion. 

Sit at the same height and use open body language. 

Be clear about the time boundaries. 

Use open questions to encourage dialogue, and find out where the co-worker thinks they have done well or could improve.