Introduction

Being a leader comes with great responsibility, and one of them is guiding the team such that every team member diversifies their skills and becomes better. And what’s the best way to guide your subordinates than by giving them good constructive feedback.

Feedback is most effective when delivered with professionalism and consideration. Before we explore the intricacies of feedback, it is essential to understand why leaders should include the process of providing feedback to their teams. Effective and concise feedback helps the recipients to improve their quality of work. It gives them a chance to become better as they get to know the areas where they are lacking and how they can bridge the gaps in their performance. Everyone in the workplace is there to thrive and rise above the rest, and feedback becomes the key to unlocking better opportunities.

Besides, good feedback also helps the leaders to get the desired quality of work. Let’s learn how you, as a leader, can improve the process of providing feedback to your team members and nurture their skills.

Good Feedback vs. Bad Feedback

One might wonder that feedback is feedback, and it cannot be distinguished as good or bad. However, there are subtle nuances which makes a feedback good or bad.

Good feedback is well-intentioned and aimed at helping the recipient develop their skills. It is relevant, and the person giving it engages with the person receiving it and their work. On the other hand, bad feedback has several smells likes being vague, not being constructive, focusing only on the to-do list to complete a task etc., and as a result, employees often ignore it.

Good feedback is always a two-way communication, where if your feedback is relevant, the recipient will understand it and ask you more questions on the feedback. However, you can understand that something is lacking in the feedback if the recipient just sits silently and then nods because, deep down, they may disagree with it.

So, the key to good feedback is to make it as conversational as possible. Try to understand their viewpoints and the challenges they face while completing the job, resolve their problems, and explain concisely and precisely what you are expecting from them.

Tips to Master the Art of Feedback

Below are some tips to deliver feedback better :

• • Use the Sandwich Method 

Starting feedback directly with criticism should be avoided. It is best to use the sandwich method, where you start the feedback with a positive point, slip the area of improvement point (in a positive manner) in the middle, and then end the feedback on an optimistic note.

For instance, I am really impressed by your work, especially since you are new to the company. However, you can do better by avoiding grammar mistakes and adding more data to the report. By keeping these small things in mind, I am sure that you will quickly adapt to our operations and succeed.

This way, the feedback sounds better and encouraging too.

• • Use Your Body language and Words Mindfully

Remember, words cut deeper than knives, and it is essential to choose your words wisely before speaking or writing them to the respective employee. Similarly, your body language also matters in the delivery of feedback.

A harsh tone with crossed arms signal aggression or frustration and can demotivate your employee. On the other hand, a calm voice with a composed and cool body posture instils hope and confidence in the recipient that everything can be resolved with an appropriate strategy.

A tip for the leaders: Avoid using accusatory language, like “You always forgot doing the final checks/You never give attention to small matters which leads to big problems”. Instead, use neutral language to soften the impact, like “I think you might have forgotten to run the final check; kindly run it and submit the final version by end of the day.”

• • Feedback Is an Ongoing Process, Not Just an One-Time Procedure

If you think that employees will take the feedback and instantly implement it, then you might be wrong. You will have to monitor their progress, and guide them in the right direction by giving them additional feedback, encouragement, and adjustments.

• • Adjust the feedback as per team members

There is a not a single feedback approach which works for everyone. So, your approach to delivering feedback should be tailored as per individual employee. Some people will like straightforward feedback, while others might prefer a softer touch. Some will understand the feedback instantly, while it may take time for others and they might even require some hands-on help to implement the changes. So, the key here is to tailor the feedback to each team member.

The 5 R’s of Feedback

Giving feedback is a skill that needs to be learned and mastered. Gustavo Razzetti has presented a five-step model for providing good and effective feedback, the 5Rs of Feedback from a employee’s perspective. Here are the 5Rs from a leader’s perspective:

1. Request (Create an environment where employees feel free to request/initiate the feedback process)
2. Receive (Train your employees to actively listen, ask clarifying questions if needed and acknowledge the feedback with gratitude)
3. Reflect (Give the employees time to reflect, understand the feedback and bring change in their activities and output)
4. Respond (Ask your employees to create a systematic plan on how to implement the feedback)
5. Resolve (Help the employees if they come across any hurdle or obstacle while working on the feedback, help in their commitment to make necessary changes and grow)

Be prepared to work with them and educate them on the right way to implement the feedback. Hands-on guidance is necessary, and you can help them understand the process or concept not as a manager, but as a mentor.

The Bottom Line

Constructive feedback is important as it guides the employee to work better and more efficiently. Leaders should focus on helping the employee understand how they can resolve a particular problem. This allows the leaders to not only tell the team members on what good looks like but also how to produce good. You can follow the 5R’s method and boost the feedback process. Giving feedback is all about helping the employee or team member to grow and deliver better results.