The right way to give feedback to your CS team
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The ability to provide constructive feedback to your team is an important skill that any customer success leader must master if they’re to build and retain a high-performing team.?
So, how do you do this??
In this newsletter, I'll walk you through a foolproof, step-by-step process to delivering feedback that will motivate your team and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement within your organization.
Step 1: Decide if this feedback is necessary?
Asking for, or providing, constructive feedback is a great way to feed a growth mindset and continuously improve and hone your craft. However, great feedback is one that actively helps a person to grow and is actionable.?
Scenario 1: Addressing isolated incidents?
?? Picture this: A member of your team is five minutes late for a meeting. They’re usually always on time, except in this instance; it seems to be an anomaly. You consider asking them to wait behind or bring up the importance of timekeeping in their next one-to-one (1:1).
Scenario 2:? Managing recurring issues
?? Picture this: You have an employee in your team who’s regularly late for meetings. This isn’t the first time, so you've decided that you need to discuss this with them in their next 1:1. There’s a clear, identifiable pattern of behavior that needs to be addressed.
In the following steps, we can discuss how you can approach providing this feedback to your employees in a constructive and useful manner.?
Step 2: Effective planning for delivering constructive feedback
Finding an appropriate time to deliver feedback is key. If urgent, this feedback must be provided as soon as possible. You may even need to schedule a specific meeting for this purpose. However, if it can wait, you can use the next one-to-one meeting you have scheduled.?
Understanding how your team members best receive feedback
Before the meeting, it's worth reflecting on how this individual best receives feedback.?
I always like to ask this question directly to any new starters in my team, so I can ensure I deliver feedback in a way that is best received.?
Sometimes, it can be hard to answer a question like that on the spot.
To help them, I’ll change the way I frame the question, such as “Tell me about a time when you received negative feedback in a way you didn't appreciate”.
People often find it easier to recall negative situations, so, if we flip that experience, we can see how they like to receive feedback.?
Next, I like to think about the personality of the person I’m delivering the feedback to, and how I think I could phrase it to make the experience as comfortable for everyone involved , while also being direct and ensuring the sentiment gets delivered appropriately.?
Scenario 3: Tailoring feedback for defensiveness and sensitivity
?? Picture this: You have an employee who seems to get defensive when you provide feedback that they perceive as negative.
In this scenario, it’s useful to understand a little bit more about the personality of the person you need to provide feedback to. In my team, I take great pride in taking the time to deeply understand their individual personalities and nuances, what is important to them, and how they like to receive feedback.?
This has created a very open and transparent environment where trust is the very essence of our team dynamic. While this is something we all should strive for, I appreciate it’s not always possible.
If you have a large team, how do you ensure that you can add the personal touch when managing them??
I like to ask my team to complete a personality test, such as 16 Personalities. Some don’t always subscribe to the idea that these are useful, but I've had team members who have loved the insights they provide – and it certainly gives me a head start in trying to get to know them too!
Should you wish to address this matter directly, I’d prepare some notes on exactly why you’re providing this feedback today, and why you feel it is important and give them actionable ways to improve this.?
In my experience, if you wish to address something directly I would prepare by noting the following points:
If you decide that their personality is better suited to a softer approach, you could plan to mention in the next group meeting something to the effect of:
This may have an effect of the individual who has recently been persistently late, to reflect on their current conduct, and hopefully improve going forward. If you do not see an improvement, I would then move to the direct approach.
Step 3: Delivering feedback with clarity and impact?
It’s important that when delivering feedback, the receiver understands the following things:
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Kudos to Danielle for tackling such an important issue in customer success!?
Managing feedback is an art!?
This sounds like a crucial read! Effective feedback can truly make or break a team's performance.
Regional Vice President| Customer Success Leader | Cyber Security | Partnerships | Always Learning | Passionate about the North East
1 个月This guide on delivering constructive feedback is incredibly insightful! I love the emphasis on tailoring your approach to each team member’s personality and fostering an open dialogue. It’s a great reminder that feedback is not just about pointing out areas for improvement but also about building trust and encouraging growth. Thank you for sharing these practical steps!