Unleashing Your Team's Potential with Feedback That Is Human Centered

Yesterday, I had an enlightening coaching session with a leader, let's call him Mark.? He contacted me for guidance delivering performance feedback to one of his team members.? Mark was self-aware enough to recognize that his current approach wasn’t yielding the desired results.? His go-to method?? The infamous "compliment sandwich."

The compliment sandwich originates from the command and control system of management.? It involves wrapping constructive criticism between two positive comments.? While it aims to soften the blow of negative feedback, it can come off as disingenuous and predictable.? Particularly astute employees see right through it.? Mark wanted a fresh perspective, so we explored four feedback approaches together.

1. The Feedback Sandwich

Mark's current method.? This involves:

- Starting with a compliment.

- Delivering the criticism.

- Ending with another compliment.

While familiar, this approach often fails to foster genuine growth or improvement.? It tends to leave employees feeling manipulated rather than motivated.

2. Recognition and Praise: Focus on Strengths

Instead of the feedback sandwich, we examined the power of recognition and praise.? This method emphasizes:

- Celebrating the employee's achievements and efforts.

- Asking them what they see themselves doing well.

By focusing on strengths, you create an open dialogue where the employee feels valued and recognized.? It also encourages them to take ownership of their performance and identify areas they’re proud of.

3. Support and Development: How Can I Help You Improve?

Next, we discussed a support-oriented approach:

- Asking how you, as a leader, can assist them in their growth.

- Offering opportunities for skill development, stretch assignments, and new responsibilities.

- Providing coaching and mentorship.

This method shifts the focus from criticism to collaborative development.? It positions feedback as a tool for empowerment rather than a weapon of correction.

4. Personal Growth: How Do You Want to Improve?

Finally, we explored a deeply personalized approach:

- Asking employees about their personal and professional aspirations.

- Discussing ways they can grow and feel good about their progress.

- Viewing leadership as a dynamic and ongoing "contact sport."

This approach acknowledges that growth isn’t only about performance metrics.? Personal fulfillment and leadership development are essential.?

Skills for Effective Feedback

As Mark and I dissected these methods, it became evident that three of the four are not command-based.?Instead, they rely heavily on soft skills—recognition, support, and personal growth.? These human-centered approaches foster a more open and collaborative environment.? This will unleash the full potential of your team.

Feedforward: A Future-Focused Approach

Drawing inspiration from Marshall Goldsmith’s concept of feedforward, we also discussed the importance of focusing on future improvements rather than past mistakes.? Feedforward involves:

- Offering suggestions for future performance.

- Encouraging proactive development.

- Shifting the conversation from past errors to future possibilities.

Give Feedback Like a Limitless Leader

As leaders, it’s crucial not to treat feedback like a lunch sandwich.? Instead, make it a strategic planning discussion aimed at growth, improvement, and advancement.? By adopting these more dynamic and supportive feedback methods, you can better harness the potential of your team, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and drive meaningful development.

Incorporating these techniques into your leadership style can transform feedback from a dreaded task into a powerful tool for positive change.? The result?? A more engaged, motivated, and high-performing team ready to take on new challenges and achieve greater success.

?