Giving positive feedback, once mastered, is one of the most valuable skills a manager has to motivate staff to high levels of performance. However, when team members are experiencing performance or behavior problems, managers need to act quickly and provide constructive feedback in order to allow team members to continue their progress.
Giving constructive feedback, sometimes referred to as coaching, involves the general communication skills of commenting, clarifying, and committing. These skills are called the 3Cs.
Commenting is letting your team member know that some aspect of her performance or behavior is not what it should be. During their careers, managers will have to deal with many types of performance and behavior issues. Performance issues relate to team members not meeting goals or not doing what is delineated in their job descriptions. Behavioral concerns refer more to company rules and regulations and accepted codes of behavior. Examples of performance problems include missing deadlines, having an excessive error rate, not sharing relevant information with others, producing less than expected, or not following designated procedures. Examples of behavior problems include time abuse issues (e.g., lateness, excessive absences, doubling break time, missing in action), using abusive language, dressing inappropriately, or belittling other team members.
The majority of performance and behavior issues will come from team members who are at the lower productivity stages (e.g., getting attention and flying blind).However, managers should expect them from employees at any productivity stage, even stage 5 performers. Most managers I have worked with prefer to coach people with performance problems as opposed to behavioral ones. They feel, rightly, that behavioral issues often reflect the personality of the team member. And, as we know, it is very hard to change personality. Also, performance issues seem to be easier to document. However, as a manager, you will need to give team members constructive feedback on both.
Clarifying is stating the impact of the performance or behavior problem and, as we discussed in The Platinum Skill of Active Listening on active listening, making sure the team member understands what the problem is.
Committing is getting your team members to take action to change what they are currently doing in order to achieve positive results.
The Roger/Alberto Case
Let’s listen in to an exchange between Roger, the manager, and Alberto, the employee, as Roger spots Alberto in the company cafeteria.
Roger:
I was glad to see you at yesterday’s planning meeting. I know you have a very busy schedule. When can I take a look at the strategic plan that you said you would have ready last week?
Alberto:
Well, Roger, I didn’t get it completed. I do apologize. I just couldn’t find the time to do it.
Roger:
I know all about your busy schedule. Mine is just as busy, probably more so. Let me get straight to the point. I need that plan and I need it yesterday. No further discussion! This isn’t some sort of hand-holding experience. Either you get it to me or I will do it myself, and you know what that would mean.
Alberto:
I can’t understand why you are being so tough on me. I’m working on so many projects, more than anyone else on the team. I just don’t have the time to complete all of them on time. You are definitely picking on me.
Roger:
You don’t know what you are talking about! (yelling)
Alberto:
Yes, I do! (yelling even louder)
This scenario is not what constructive feedback is about. The manager needs to remain calm and constructive, listen to the team member, and focus on resolving the issue at hand. None of this happened in this exchange. It is also the responsibility of the person receiving the constructive feedback to remain calm and constructive, listening to the person giving the feedback and working toward a joint solution. These points will be emphasized later in this chapter.
Let’s now replay the scene and see how it should be done. Let’s begin where Roger, the manager, is talking about busy schedules.
Roger:
I’m aware of your busy schedule. I understand how difficult it must be for you to complete all of your assignments on time. What ideas do you have on how you can get to complete everything?
Alberto:
I appreciate your understanding, but everyone expects me to do everything perfectly on time. It’s impossible.
Roger:
It may be impossible as it is now. What ideas do you have so that you could handle all these projects well? As you know, I cannot take any of them away from you at this time.
Alberto:
I’ve been thinking that about 30 percent of each of these projects involves rudimentary paperwork. Perhaps the paperwork can be computerized, or we can get someone from the office pool to take it on.
Roger:
Those are both excellent ideas. The second idea is out because I just received an e-mail from Terry (the CEO) stating that the office pool, for governmental funding purposes, can’t be assigned to any of our projects. However, I see no reason why we can’t computerize all those forms that have to be completed. I know what you’re going through. I used to dread filling them out as well.
Alberto:
Do you think you can set up a meeting ASAP with Carlos (the IT director)?
Roger:
I’ll try to set it up for the end of the day. I’ll let you know if he’s available.
The major difference in this exchange is that there’s no management blaming going on, only problem solving. Managers need to view a constructive feedback session as a way to solve a problem and further build a strong manager–team member relationship. As a manager, you are not out to get the team member. It is not your chance to stab him with a dagger. It is so much easier to resolve the situation at hand instead of getting into arguments or conflicts where you may wind up having to go through the company’s discipline procedure.
When Not to Give Constructive Feedback. Giving a team member constructive feedback under any of the following circumstances invariably has adverse effects:
When the employee cannot take any action on the constructive feedback. Consider the case of Kelly Sinclair. Kelly works for a chain of discount stores in the St. Louis area. He is in the marketing department. One of his responsibilities is to go to all five stores and share the latest marketing strategies with the store managers and sales staff. Last week Kelly’s boss gave him some constructive feedback that Kelly could not act on. The boss said, "Kelly, I observed your presentation last week and I liked it a lot. I have one suggestion for making it even more effective. I’d like you to do the presentations in PowerPoint. The staff will be even more impressed than they are now." Unfortunately, Kelly doesn’t know PowerPoint; he doesn’t have a laptop computer or the PowerPoint software. The organization doesn’t own an LCD projector, either. When managers provide constructive feedback and the staff member cannot do anything with that feedback, two things occur. First, the staff member becomes frustrated. He wants to do what the manager suggests but has no control over the situation. Second, the manager loses credibility in the eyes of the staff member. The manager is viewed as someone who doesn’t know what he is talking about.
When the person giving the constructive feedback is overstressed or has a limited amount of time. Managers need to remain calm during feedback sessions. Once managers lose their temper, become angry, or yell, the feedback loses its impact because the person receiving the feedback has shut down and is no longer listening. When giving constructive feedback, the manager needs to listen to employees to get their perspective on the situation and to have them take ownership of the resolution. If a manager is time pressured, this dialogue won’t be able to take place or employees will be shortchanged and get the sense that the manager isn’t really interested in listening. It is best for managers to be in a positive frame of mind with a window of time before they attempt to provide constructive feedback.
When the focus in on the person, not the person’s behavior or performance. As managers, when we give constructive feedback, our intention is to modify a team member’s performance or behavior. It’s a big mistake to focus on trying to change someone’s personality. Psychologists tell us that personality is formed in youth and is very difficult to change. Also, managers are not qualified to change an employee’s personality. The best we can hope for is to change performance and behavior. For example, let’s take the case of a receptionist who answers the phone by saying, "Yeah, what do you want?" Not only are the words inappropriate, but the receptionist’s vocal tone and quality may be, too. As the manager, I would want to find out why the person is answering the phone that way. Is there something on his mind that he wants to talk about? The manager’s ultimate goal should be to get the receptionist to answer the phone by saying, "Good morning, SJS Industries. How may I help you?"
When giving constructive feedback, managers also want to keep away from "you" statements that put the emphasis on the personality and not the behavior or performance. For example, "You are a late person," or "You have a sloppy work area," or "You don’t know how to get along with our clients."
It is much better to say, "I need to discuss the lateness record," or "I want to talk about how the work area needs to be maintained," or "Let’s discuss how to improve working relationships with our clients."
When previous attempts at providing constructive feedback have not worked. If a manager has given constructive feedback on separate occasions and the behavior or performance issue still exists, the manager has to change her strategy. Continuing to give additional constructive feedback won’t remedy the situation. The manager may need to get feedback from her mentor or a trusted colleague to make sure she is giving constructive feedback in the proper manner. Or the manager has to determine if the employee can act on the constructive feedback, or decide if the employee has the skill set or knowledge to do what’s needed. If the employee lacks the right skill set, then he needs additional training. Or, perhaps, it is a poor job fit. If that’s the case, another position needs to be found for the individual.
When previous attempts at giving constructive feedback have not worked, the manager may have no other choice but to follow the company’s discipline procedure. Managers need to be supportive and try to constructively "fix" all problems. However, there are times when a more direct message of accountability needs to be sent to the team member. Discipline procedures vary from company to company. It is important for managers to familiarize themselves with their company’s discipline procedures.
Recommended Steps for Delivering Constructive Feedback. Managers often miss opportunities to provide constructive feedback. They fear that giving team members anything other than positive feedback could harm their relationship. Actually, delaying or not giving constructive feedback will do more harm than good. The consequences of the uncorrected behavior or performance can begin to escalate. Employees may also begin to resent the manager for not helping them. And, most important, employees don’t have the chance to improve and work toward meeting their goals and the goals of the organization. The following six steps are recommended for delivery of constructive feedback:
Specifically state what you have observed and its impact. Being specific avoids having to have the team member guess where you are heading. It also saves time. Just as with positive feedback, be timely. Give the feedback as soon after you have become aware that there is a performance or behavior issue. If the manager waits too long to give feedback, the team member may think nothing is wrong or that the issue wasn’t important since the manager waited so long to comment. The impact describes why the issue needs to be discussed in the first place. The impact should always be a business one—losing business, getting customer complaints, lessening of work quality, losing company image, etc. Team members will be more accepting of the issue if they see how it is impacting the business.
Listen to the team member. If you know what is going on and what has to be done, why should a manager go through this step? Sometimes managers are wrong. When managers provide an opportunity for responses, they learn valuable information and foster open communication. I recall an instance where a manager gave a team member feedback for not passing her report on to another team member in a timely manner. It turned out the manager’s boss was asking this team member to do some tasks for her. That’s why she was falling behind in her report writing.
Another reason for listening to the team member is that people like to be listened to. It motivates them and builds trust. Also, the team member may acknowledge the problem and take responsibility for it. In that case, the rest of the constructive feedback session will be a breeze. Allowing team members the chance to react to the manager’s feedback builds their self-esteem and shows that the manager recognizes the value of his team’s ideas or suggestions. It is also possible that the team member may try to deflect the criticism, saying, "I don’t think so. I always share information in a timely manner. The rest of the team loves me. We get along wonderfully." If something like this happens (and it sometimes will), the manager has to be prepared with examples to back up her points. The manager should also have documentation, if possible, and come up with ways to "fix" the situation if the team member cannot come up with any. The manager needs to do preparation before speaking with the individual.
Try to get an agreement that a problem exists. It is always best if the team member can agree that she needs to change her behavior or improve her performance. Getting the willing cooperation of the team member makes the constructive feedback session much easier.
Ask the team member what should be done to rectify the situation. If the team member comes up with the action plan for resolving the situation at hand, he will more likely do it than if the manager tells him what needs to be done. Most of the time team members at productivity stages 3, 4, and 5 will have an answer. Managers may have to work with team members at productivity stages 1 and 2 to help them see what needs to be done. If the team member doesn’t know what to do to rectify a problem or is not in a cooperative mood, the manager needs to offer solutions.
Decide on what the action plan will be. Preferably, the manager will agree with the team member’s suggestion. If he cannot, the manager needs to explain why and then probe and discuss the matter further until the team member comes up with an acceptable action plan. If this cannot be done, then the manager takes charge and decides on what the action plan will be.
Monitor and follow through. Many managers believe their job is done once they have communicated the issue to the team member and the action plan has been decided on. Not quite. In a way, the manager’s job has just begun. The manager needs to make sure that the performance or behavior is improving. If it is, then the manager should give positive feedback and encourage the team member to continue to improve. If the performance or behavior does not change, the manager needs to have another one or two constructive feedback sessions. If those sessions fail to bring the results the manager needs, she has to follow the discipline guidelines of her company (when previous attempts at providing constructive feedback have not worked).
Now that the steps for delivering constructive feedback have been reviewed, let’s look at them in action.
The Giselle Davenport Case
Mary is a manager in a medium-size training company, Dynamic, Inc., in New York City. The firm specializes in all types of computer training. It sends trainers to company sites. One of the trainers is Giselle. Giselle has been with Dynamic Inc. for over three years. She is considered one of the firm’s best trainers. She is knowledgeable in the systems she teaches, has a great training style, and receives very high marks from trainees on the feedback forms they fill out after the training sessions. Giselle averages 9.6 on a scale of 10, the best average of all the computer trainers at Dynamic. (She is probably at productivity stage 5.)
Like other trainers, Giselle usually spends about three hours at a company site per day for a period of about a month and then moves on to other organizations. Currently, Giselle is working with three different organizations. Typically, she trains nine to twelve people at a time.
In the last couple of weeks, Mary has been receiving complaints from the clients about Giselle. They say Giselle often disappears from the training room for up to sixty minutes at a time, one-third of the training period. Their concerns are that sometimes there are systems problems that only Giselle knows how to fix; when she is absent, the trainees have no one to answer their questions. The clients don’t mind when she leaves for ten minutes, but an hour is unacceptable. Mary has never received any complaints from clients about Giselle in the two years she has been managing her. She has only received accolades. Mary needs to rectify this situation and find out from Giselle what’s happening. She asks Giselle to stop in the office in the morning before going on to one of her company sites. Mary has arranged to meet with Giselle in the company’s conference room. After a few pleasantries, Mary begins the constructive feedback session, following the recommended steps. The dialogue between Mary, the manager, and Giselle, her employee, proceeds as follows:
Step 1: Specifically State What You Have Observed and Its Impact
Mary:
Giselle, I believe we may have a time issue on our hands. It’s been brought to my attention in the last two weeks, from the clients whom you are currently assigned to, that the trainees are often left on their own in the training room without the assistance they need. The clients have said that sometimes the trainees are left alone for up to one hour, which is almost a third of the training time. We always want to provide a full training session and maintain excellent relationships with our clients. That makes good business sense. Our clients expect excellent service each and every time. And you have always done this. Can you tell me what’s going on? I’m perplexed. Any ideas?
Step 2: Listen to the Team Member
Giselle:
It’s so strange that the clients are saying that. I cannot imagine why. As you know, I often leave the training room for five or ten minutes to take a break, but no way is it for an hour. I have no idea why they have said this. In the three years I have been working here, I have never received any kind of complaint.
Mary:
When I first heard the complaint I couldn’t imagine it myself. You have consistently been our top performer for the last three years. You’ve been a role model for the other computer trainers. Can you think of any reasons why all of these clients have told me the same thing? I’m certain it’s nothing against you, because they have always told us at Dynamic Inc. that they only want you as the trainer.
Giselle:
I’m dumbfounded. I just can’t imagine that I am ever out of the room for more than ten minutes, maybe fifteen, tops. And I do such a great job.
Mary:
Do you think that it is possible that it’s really longer than fifteen minutes?
Giselle:
It’s possible, but I am so conscientious about my work that I cannot imagine it to be as long as that.
Step 3: Try to Get an Agreement That a Problem Exists
Mary:
The clients insist that it is about an hour. I guess we can agree that we do have a problem here, at least between what you and they are telling me?
Giselle:
Don’t you believe me?
Mary:
Giselle, I believe you. And I need to believe what the clients are telling me as well.
Step 4: Ask the Team Member What Should Be Done to Rectify the Situation
Mary:
So what do you think we can do about this discrepancy?
Giselle:
I guess I better monitor my break time. I need to get myself a watch and monitor my time much closer. I’ll also tell the trainees that I will be out for five or ten minutes. But I still cannot believe that I am out of the training room for up to an hour. It’s just impossible.
Mary:
These are excellent ideas. Anything else going on that you want to talk about?
Giselle:
No, I think that will do the trick.
Step 5: Decide on What the Action Plan Will Be
Mary:
Then we are in agreement. You’ll wear a watch from now on and monitor your time when you take your breaks. You will also inform the trainees when you are leaving the room for a five-or ten-minute break. I’m sure that this action plan will work well. I’m looking forward to putting this incident behind us.
Giselle:
No problem. I’m looking forward to it as well.
Step 6: Monitor and Follow Through
A few days later Mary received calls from Giselle’s clients. They said that the out-of-the-room behavior persisted and that the trainees were now beginning to complain. Mary had several more constructive feedback sessions with Giselle, and Giselle stuck to her guns at these sessions. She said that her breaks were only ten minutes and that she was checking her watch to make sure. Then Mary began to get the same feedback about Giselle from the new clients Giselle was assigned to. Mary had additional constructive feedback sessions where she was much more directive. She told Giselle exactly what was expected of her. She told Giselle that she had to follow Dynamic Inc.’s regulations concerning break time and put Giselle on a performance improvement plan.
Mary also offered Giselle the opportunity to speak to someone at an employee assistance program that Dynamic Inc. had arranged for. Giselle refused, stating that the clients didn’t know what they were talking about.
Epilogue
Unfortunately, Giselle’s behavior never changed. In fact, it got worse. Sometimes she would never return to the training room. These absences began to seriously affect her performance and her ratings slipped dramatically. The clients refused to accept Giselle as the trainer. Giselle, however, kept to the same story.
Eventually, Mary had to have Giselle return to the home office, where she was given other projects to do. Giselle continued her pattern of disappearing for excessive amounts of time at the home office as well. Eventually, Giselle was terminated. Mary never did find out before she terminated Giselle what was really happening.
This case demonstrates the steps involved in delivering constructive feedback. A manager should be supportive and listen to the ideas of the team member. This approach usually rectifies the situation. However, if the performance or behavior under question does not change, the manager needs to remind the team member of the goal and hold the team member accountable.