The process of providing feedback to direct reports is still an "event" that undermines the engagement of employees in many companies. This happens when managers are afraid of talking about performance with their employees who then take the feedback defensively. How can this be prevented? Talentmgt.com brought 5 recommendations that should be borne in mind when giving feedback.
Continuous communication
Feedback should not be an "event" taking place only once or several times a year within performance evaluations. Employees most respect the leaders who take the time to provide meaningful and ongoing feedback to their people. It sounds obvious and you've certainly read it many times, but do you really apply it in practice?
Asking questions
Feedback should not be based only on your beliefs and assumptions. Avoid expecting negative intentions of your people. Ask why a problem happened. When an employee sees that you can accept his good intention, which failed, he will approach you less defensively.
Links with aspirations of employees
Feedback should help a superior to build the position of an ally, not a critic. It is therefore necessary to think about the goals specific employees want to reach and offer feedback that would be beneficial for them.
Links with wider context
Meaningful feedback links employee performance with the needs and values of the company, its customers, investors, suppliers and employees.
Two-way feedback
Feedback from direct reports creates stronger relationships within the team. A superior who is open to feedback from his people is more likely to achieve that feedback will not be perceived as a personal attack and teach himself and his team to share bad news more easily.
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