. 50MINUTES - Constructive Feedback: The essentials of giving and receiving constructive criticism

Terminology

The Merriam-Webster Learners Dictionary defines feedback as helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance, product, etc.. It highlights strengths, weaknesses and potential areas for improvement.

Feedback is an evaluation of a completed project or an action performed at a given time which is transmitted to an individual or a group of people. The purpose of this exchange is to reinforce positive behaviours or to allow the people involved to modify their approach in future. Feedback is designed to allow managers to show their appreciation to an employee or team: it is an opportunity to congratulate people on their work. There are two ways to do this:

• Verbally, by clearly expressing your opinion. This is called direct feedback.
• Non-verbally, through a gesture or silence. This indirect feedback shows the other person that they are on the right track.

For feedback to be effective, it must be neutral and be transmitted on a regular basis as soon as possible after the relevant behaviour. Ideally, it should be given face to face, in a quiet place. It is not about judging or trying to change the other person, as this risks upsetting them or putting them on the defensive. Remember that feedback is not synonymous with criticism or punishment: rather than lashing out over something you are unhappy about, your aim should be to make the employee aware of their mistakes, any areas for improvement and your expectations for them.

Feedback always focuses on the facts in order to help the individual to improve their skills, behaviour and performance. It must be accompanied by clear, precise objectives so that the person understands why they need to change their approach or work on their skills in a particular area.

We can distinguish four types of feedback, which all have different effects. Reinforcing and constructive feedback are recommended, while flattering and provocative feedback should be avoided.

• Reinforcing feedback (positive and specific): the persons actions are complimented and they are encouraged to keep going. This type of feedback increases self-esteem and seeks to maintain the persons current behaviour.

  Example
  Luke, I appreciate you prioritising this task. It should be finalised this week, and without your cooperation this wouldnt be possible! Keep taking initiatives like this.

• Constructive or corrective feedback (negative and specific): the persons actions are criticised in a positive way so that they can be adjusted. This preserves the individuals self-esteem and seeks to improve behaviour.

  Example
  Ellie, Ive noticed that youve arrived late three times this month. Youve been about 10 to 15 minutes late each time; I think you can easily find a solution to address this.

• Flattering feedback (positive and non-specific): this is issued at any time and without any specific reason. It engenders mistrust and reduces self-esteem, and the individual may feel that they owe their manager something.

  Example
  Tom, youre the best! I know I can always count on you.

• Provocative feedback (negative and non-specific): this is more of a judgement than feedback. It greatly reduces self-esteem and can result in mental blocks.

  Example
  I always said I couldnt trust you and youve proved me right, yet again. You are useless!

Feedback is an essential tool if we want to make progressive adjustments to improve and achieve our objectives. It is a tool for communicating, measuring and monitoring performance, as it lets individuals know where they stand and whether or not they are dealing with a particular situation effectively. It also highlights areas for improvement.

To deliver feedback effectively, it is essential to:

• Notify the person in advance to prepare them for your feedback.
• Stick to the facts and describe the actions and/or behaviour you have observed.
• Explain the consequences of this.
• If you are giving reinforcing feedback, ask the person to keep going as they are. This will ensure that they maintain the same approach.
• If you are giving constructive feedback, do not force them to make changes, but ask them to find a solution themselves.

Positive feedback meets the employees self-esteem and belonging needs, which will motivate them to keep going on the right track. Maslows hierarchy of needs (developed by the American psychologist Abraham Maslow, 1908-1970) demonstrates that our needs are prioritised according to their importance. Following this logic, the needs at the bottom of the pyramid must be met before the higher needs can be satisfied.