Feedback: Feeding it the right way!

Some gyan that says, "Feedback is basically response to stimuli, in other words it is a reaction occurring as a result of behaviour of an individual or a group. Feedback allows people to evaluate what they’ve been doing, how they’ve been doing and then it helps them to take accountability for their work." Fancy, heavy? Yes please.. Great to write, but impact wise?? Uhoh. Not sure. So, feedback should actually do. In simplest of terms, Feedback should help push the good and pull the bad. EXPECTATION SETTING. Simple!

However simple the definition to this word may seem, when we come to the verb aspect of it, things become tough. Giving and taking feedback both are equally difficult. Come to think of positive feedback, easier to tell how a person has been doing a good job unless you have a proper set of words to do so. Negative feedback is even tougher, reason being it is a general human tendency to avoid difficult conversations.

Like everything else, this can be learned by practicing. Feedback necessarily needs to be spontaneous and regular. From a manager’s and a management’s perspective, giving feedback to the employees on a regular basis is an amazing way to build a rapport, establishing a level of comfort amongst the boss and the employees. It is basically a necessity at any workplace.

A constructive feedback is always welcome but is it always given in a way that it seems constructive? If delivered properly it can reinforce positive behaviour and also ensure betterment of any lows in the performance of an individual. Reluctance in providing a feedback is a sign that there is some gap between both the giving and the receiving parties and this makes it all the more important to learn how to give a feedback.

Here are some ways to give an effective Feedback without putting yourself and the one receiving through anxiousness:

·                   Immediate action: Act immediately. Feedback is best given in time, that is, depending on the severity or gravity of the situation it becomes of utmost importance to review the thing at hand well before you need to deal with even bigger problems.

·         Start and end with the right kind of questions: Always start with a Yes/No question, for instance, ‘Do you have five minutes to spare? I’ve got something important to talk about.’ A start like this prepares the person for what’s to come next. Pace accordingly thereafter, depending on what you’ve got to tell the person. You also should end the conversation with a question to know how they took your feedback and what their thoughts are on whatever you’ve told them.

·                   Be specific: Never beat around the bush when giving a feedback, be specific, use keywords indicating where you’re heading with the conversation. This makes things easier at both the receiving and the giving ends.

·                   Use positive language, avoid use of rough language: Any word or phrase which has a negative connotation to it may make the feedback feel like an accusation. When we receive feedback in a positive language, it stimulates our brain and leaves us wanting to learn and improvise, if and where needed. If you’re the one giving a feedback, be frequent in giving a positive feedback as much you do negative. A healthy balance needs to be maintained.

At times, managers are reluctant in giving feedbacks thinking they do not want to make the employees feel like they are micromanaging them but it only does them more harm than good. Feedback continues to hold its importance no matter the subjective opinions.

If we are able to keep the behavioural and technical feedback in fine balance, it ought to bring out the Performance Communications in its best outcome. Jargons, ughh! But seriously, pulling together a nice, simple and cohesive set of words that exactly explain the needful, is just as good and does the job without fretting over it and spending hours in meeting rooms deciding. As Baba Nike says, "Just DO it!