Although positive feedback reinforces high performance in individuals and teams, you sometimes need to challenge behaviour that is getting in the way of someone performing to their highest standard. You owe it to your staff to make sure they are armed with information about where they are going wrong to make their job easier and more satisfying.
Although at the time there might be resistance, once they realise that the perceived negative feedback allowed them to develop and enhance their skills, they will more readily accept any further feedback you give them. Also as you give them praise for what they do well they will feel that any reprimand is legitimate and more acceptable.
There are two types of negative feedback: technical feedback and reprimands.
a) Technical feedback relates to what people can’t do. Which means they lack the competence or skill to do a particular task or job. The approach to use here is to accept that as the leader it is your responsibility to make sure the person is equipped with the right skills to do the job. A neutral attitude is required.
To tell someone off for not having a particular skill might destroy their motivation to learn. Dealing with it as a learning opportunity helps the person to view the situation objectively – it is not them that are ‘wrong’ they just need to develop the competence.
b) Reprimands are used when a person has the capability and knowledge to achieve a task but fails to deliver. It is then a case of lack of motivation, a won’t do attitude, that is getting in the way. There is an 8 stage process for dealing with reprimands:
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1. Let people know in advance that you are going to give lots of feedback
2. Deal with poor performance immediately but not in front of others
3. Stay in the I’m OK, you’re OK mode. It is the behaviour not the person which is the issue. Challenge the behaviour not the person
4. Describe explicitly what is wrong with the behaviour or poor performance, its consequences and how you feel about it
5. Pause for a moment to allow the reprimand to sink in, look at the other person and let them feel your displeasure or disappointment
6. Tell them what you require and the consequences that will come from that
7. Let them know that you value them, but not their behaviour on this occasion
8. Move on to something else. The reprimand is over, it’s done.
This simple but effective process will help you to deal with the awkwardness of telling someone off and come out of it feeling that you have been very clear and explicit in your feedback. The person will have received, understood and will act upon the information you have given them.
But what if they don’t appear to have taken it on or there is a negative reaction? That is the subject of a future post so stay tuned. In the meantime we’d like to hear how you deal with providing negative feedback effectively. We would love to know.
