Here’s an example that illustrates the problem with silent or no feedback. Dana Lane is one of three receptionists in a law office in Chicago. Dana is responsible for answering all incoming phone calls, greeting visitors, and helping job applicants. Often, some of the partners give him work when their personal secretaries are absent or out of the office. In short, Dana is a busy person. He reports directly to Harold, the manager of human resources. Dana has been working in the law firm for almost five months but has never received any feedback, good or bad, from Harold. Dana senses or thinks he is doing well because he is still there and no one has complained directly to him about his work. But he cannot be sure because last month one of the other receptionists, whom he thought was doing very well, was asked to leave. He is worried about his own job because he isn’t sure how he is doing. On several occasions, Dana has asked Harold for some direct feedback on his job performance. Harold’s usual reply is, "Let’s wait and see."
Dana is on the receiving end of the second type of feedback used in the workplace: silent feedback or no feedback. Here, the manager never or rarely communicates to his team members. This leaves them unsure as to how they are doing on the job. Why leave your employees unsure? Let them know. In some organizations, no news means good news; in other organizations, no news means bad news. But why be so vague? It is the responsibility of every manager to constantly give each of his team members regular feedback on job performance.
Often managers forget to give feedback because they think their team members already know when they are doing well or when there are problems. Many team members really do not know unless their managers tell them. Feedback on performance and behavior reassures team members that the work they are doing is fine and that the manager has noticed it.
Many managers, thank goodness, are forced to communicate with each of their team members at least once a year during the annual performance appraisal. I imagine that if they weren’t forced to they probably would not. Many organizations have recognized managers’ lack of regular feedback and require them to do semiannual or quarterly performance reviews. The best managers, regardless of how many formal feedback sessions they have to do, meet regularly with each of their staff members and give feedback informally. Many years ago, a professor at the University of Ohio, Marge Schrader, came up with the 90/90 rule. She said that to be an effective manager, one needs to spend a minimum of 90 minutes per quarter (one minute per day) with each staff member giving feedback on the individual’s job performance.
At many of the divisions of BellSouth, AT&T, and General Motors, managers have a five-minute-per-week feedback session with each of their staff members. Many other managers do not have the luxury of having their staff located near them. In that case, a phone call or e-mail is a necessary alternative.
So far, we have reviewed two types of feedback: negative and silent. Both should be avoided. Let’s now look at the third type: unrelated positive feedback. Managers should steer clear of this form of feedback as well.