Insights from industry experts: Feedback & the importance of giving correct feedback

What is feedback??

Feedback is a valuable tool for growth and improvement in any aspect of life, whether in the workplace, personal relationships, or skill development. Essentially, feedback is information provided to someone regarding their performance, behavior, or actions. It can come in various forms, including recognition for work well done and constructive criticism for areas that need improvement.?

Feedback serves as a mirror, reflecting strengths and weaknesses, and helping you understand how your actions impact others and how they can make positive changes. It's a crucial component of learning and development, fostering self-awareness and continuous improvement.

As a crucial component of L&D, how can feedback foster self-awareness and continuous improvement??

Alecsandra Botosaneanu (Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber)

There’s a bit of a debate as to whether feedback really can increase our self-awareness, the arguments against this proposition being that those of us who are already engaging in self-reflection are quite aware of our shortcomings. In contrast, those who have less self-awareness are unlikely to develop it due to some feedback they receive. Even the self-aware among us can have strong defenses around certain areas and will reject the feedback that addresses those.?

Personally, I believe feedback has a role to play and I’m a big proponent of offering it, while being realistic about how much we can accomplish with it. But what is even more important, I would argue, is making a habit of requesting feedback frequently and learning how to respond to it. If you can get enough people in your organization, ideally leaders, to practice this, you’ll be on your way to creating this “feedback culture” we hear so much about.?

It becomes clear to everyone that self-awareness and an interest in improving oneself are qualities that are valued in your organization, it’s a behavior others can easily emulate and they get to see that receiving feedback, even the tough kind, doesn’t have to be threatening or damaging. Again, for this to happen it’s important that the reaction leaders have when receiving the feedback be the right one, which is essentially “Thank you, I’ll reflect on that” or “Tell me more”; and then they go and reflect on it, and when appropriate they make changes based on the feedback they got. (Alecsandra Botosaneanu ,?Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber )

Eugen Buica, Head of Learning & Talent Management CoE @AVIV Group

Performance is the result of multiple behaviors; these behaviors stem from intentions, and intentions are expressions of expertise/skills. Sometimes, intentions are not accurately translated into behaviors, leading to unexpected results.?

Additionally, we are all influenced by biased minds, characterized by unconscious tendencies. This means that at times, we may seek external evidence that aligns with our existing comfort zones.?

Of course, practicing self-analysis or self-retrospectives is always beneficial for understanding how we can improve. However, this should only be undertaken after gaining an objective perspective of our own behaviors.?

No matter if we talk about personal or professional life, seeking to understand feedback is crucial for evaluating whether intentions were effectively translated into behaviors, thus fueling desired performance. Often it is not about "what else I need to know more", but "how I need to sell my expertise better". Therefore, being open to receiving external "behavioral mirrors" is essential for anyone striving to build healthy relationships and achieve success.?

The connection between feedback & company culture?

Feedback fosters a culture of open communication and continuous improvement within the workplace. When employees feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback, they are more engaged and motivated. A positive feedback culture contributes to a positive employer brand. It mirrors an organization that values its employees and their growth.?

What’s your take on feedback techniques? As there are many, what is your favorite and why??

Eugen Buica, Head of Learning & Talent Management CoE @AVIV Group

I usually prefer to give feedforward because I aim to avoid defensive attitudes that may arise from perceived blaming. Feedforward involves expressing improvement opportunities focused on future behavior, intention, or expertise. When doing that, my intention is to plant the seeds of change in fertile ground. Additionally, by discussing what needs to be changed implicitly, you are already addressing areas for development while maintaining a solution-focused interaction.?

Most of the time, at the end, I check if they can relate to my improvement opportunity and if they need further discussion to recall exact past behaviors that demonstrated the need. While not a statistically accurate figure, in more than 90% of cases, they can recall the need without further discussion.??

Alecsandra Botosaneanu (Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber)

Going back to the point that learning to request feedback is the first and most important thing to address, I heard this from Adam Grant: rather than ask people "Do you have any feedback for me?", try asking "What's your advice to me?". This makes it more likely that you'll get more practical, actionable information. One reason this works is that we're all quite used to giving advice and most of us enjoy it, while feedback is not something we all master. So the feedback you're likely to get is more vague, whereas the advice has a good chance of being a lot more specific.

As for giving feedback, this one comes from research on the interaction between professors and students in an academic setting, but can easily translate to the workplace. Start by expressing your confidence in the other person's abilities, and let them know the reason you're giving them this feedback is because you know they can do great work and you're there to help them achieve that.?

Part of why feedback sometimes fails is that we can feel torn down, criticized, even when the other person is phrasing the feedback using the best techniques; what we hear is still "I'm not good enough". This approach, in turn, sets the tone of the conversation clearly around building you up and helping you grow even more. (Alecsandra Botosaneanu , Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber )

How can feedback improve improve employee performance??

Feedback provides employees with insights into their strengths and areas for further development. By addressing performance issues promptly and offering guidance for improvement, it helps employees enhance their skills and achieve their full potential. A commitment to employee development enhances an organization's reputation as a place where people can grow and thrive, strengthening its employer brand.

How do you address performance issues in the workplace without damaging employee morale??

Alecsandra Botosaneanu (Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber)

The truth is that, unless the organization already has an established practice of continuous feedback and constructive, caring and mature discussions around performance issues, this will be an uncomfortable conversation for both parties. That being said, there are some things you can do, as a manager, to make this easier on your team member, as well as yourself.?

First of all, make sure you’re prepared for the conversation. That means having as much data, examples, facts and figures as you can collect, as well as having some clear improvement points you want to focus on with your team member in the near future and clear ways of measuring the change. It’s equally important to go in with an open mind and heart, curious to hear their side of things and what they want for themselves moving forward.?

As for the conversation itself, make sure to give good quality feedback, don’t blame, don’t make it personal, be clear about what needs to change, but leave the other person plenty of space to share their own perspective on things, what might be behind the results you’re seeing and how they believe they should proceed. If they want to stay in the same role and commit to improving their performance, pick one or two areas of improvement that will deliver the most impact, set 1-2 objectives for each, with defined timelines, and then make sure to give them access to resources and support to help them achieve those objectives, as well as scheduling regular check-ins to discuss progress. Failing to do any of these will set them up for failure and will result in a very unpleasant experience for them. (Alecsandra Botosaneanu , Global Talent Development & Learning Manager @Amber )?

Eugen Buica, Head of Learning & Talent Management CoE @AVIV Group

The employment relationship is based on a transaction, where the employer commits to providing a Compensation & Benefits Package in exchange for the results the employee is expected to achieve with their expertise and time. If one party fails to honor the contract while still benefiting from the agreed-upon transaction, it could be seen as a form of abuse.?

As a psychologist, I analyze human interactions through the lens of three states of mind: Adult (rational, objective), Child (emotional), and Parent (learned beliefs and rules from authority figures). Considering that the employment relationship involves two adults, it's essential to handle the serious aspects of work from an Adult-Adult perspective.

Having said that, I believe assertivity is the best way to anchor your counterpart in reality. Discussions should focus on the desired change and mutual willingness to achieve it. Therefore, regardless of the method you want to use to address performance issues, just make sure that assertivity is the platform, while the content of this interaction should be an objective expression of the reality between 2 Adults.

Differences between correct feedback and incorrect feedback?

For feedback to have any value, it needs to be given (received) correctly. What are the differences??

1. Specificity

??Correct feedback is specific and focused on particular behaviors, actions, or outcomes. It clearly identifies what was done well or needs improvement.

Incorrect feedback is vague or general, lacking specific examples or details. It may not provide clear guidance on how to replicate positive behaviors or address areas of concern.

2. Promptness

??Correct feedback is delivered in a timely manner, ideally soon after the observed behavior or action. This allows for immediate reinforcement or correction.

Incorrect feedback is delayed or not delivered promptly, which can reduce its effectiveness and relevance.

3. Constructiveness

??Correct feedback is constructive and aimed at helping the recipient improve. It focuses on actionable suggestions and solutions rather than criticism or blame.

Incorrect feedback may be overly critical, demotivating, or unhelpful. It may focus on the person rather than the behavior, leading to defensiveness or resentment.

4. Balance

??Correct feedback maintains a balance between positive support and areas for improvement. It acknowledges strengths while also addressing weaknesses.

Incorrect feedback may be overly positive, ignoring areas needing improvement, or overly negative, failing to recognize achievements or efforts.

5. Clarity

??Correct feedback is clear and easy to understand, avoiding jargon or ambiguity. It ensures that the recipient knows exactly what is being praised or criticized.

Incorrect feedback may be unclear or confusing, leading to misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

6. Delivery

??Correct feedback is delivered respectfully and professionally, focusing on the behavior rather than the individual. It considers the recipient's feelings and maintains a supportive tone.

Incorrect feedback may be delivered in a confrontational or disrespectful manner, damaging the relationship between the giver and the recipient.

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