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Posts Tagged ‘employee feedback’
Monday, December 19th, 2011
Each of us has a bucket located in our heart and whenever we receive any type of feedback it goes in our bucket. I’ve taught the metaphor of the feedback bucket to thousands of people around the country. Perhaps because it’s so simple, or because of the catchy name, but for whatever reason, it helps people grasp the importance of the feedback with give and receive in our interactions with others. Picture your feedback bucket and imagine all types of feedback you receive each day going into your bucket. The problem is that we have holes in our buckets, which cause the feedback to leak out over time. If there are a lot of holes, or if some are large, the feedback leaks out quickly. If a person’s bucket doesn’t have many holes, or if they are just pinpricks, the feedback leaks out slowly. Remember, we all have a bucket and every bucket has some holes in it.
Who put the holes in your bucket? The answer is complex, but stated simply they came from both internal and external sources. You probably drilled a few yourself through careless actions and others came from parents, family, friends, associates, and your present and former bosses. Because our lives constantly change, the holes in our feedback buckets are in a state of flux. Holes come, and holes go, but some are always there.
How does an employee behave when his or her feedback bucket is empty? How would that same employee behave if his or her bucket had a few deposits of feedback? The response I get to these questions from retail managers is surprisingly consistent. And I’ll bet you probably know some of the answers. But before we get to that, first keep in mind that people suffer great pain when their bucket is empty. Feedback deprivation is one of the most psychologically painful experiences a person can have. In fact, mentally healthy people will go to extraordinary measures to ensure that their bucket doesn’t run dry.
Consider that people don’t consciously know when their bucket is empty. It’s something we can’t recognize because most of us don’t understand it. It is a feeling or an emotion; and being able to pinpoint emotions is difficult for most people.
Even if a person knew that his or her “bucket gauge” was on empty, it’s highly unlikely that the person would ask for feedback from others–especially men, because it would show weakness. If women are the better communicators, like some people say, and if they are more intuitive, again like some experts say, then maybe women would be better suited to know when their bucket was empty, and maybe they might be more able to ask for help.
So how can you know if one of your employee’s feedback bucket is running low? Typically, a problem with inadequate feedback will show up in one or more of six ways.
1. A person’s work performance (quantity and quality of work) is quite often directly related to the amount of feedback in his or her bucket. It doesn’t mean that a person will stop working when their bucket’s empty, but sustained performance over time requires at least some feedback in the bucket. So if you see an employee’s performance beginning to erode try stepping up your feedback to that person.
2. The ability to get along peaceably with co¬workers and even work effectively as a team is also directly related to how much feedback those people recently received. Workers are less likely to demonstrate patience, cooperation, understanding or tolerance when their feedback buckets are empty, or even near empty. So when you want a group of employees to become a team of employees, be sure that your feedback to them is frequent and positive.
3. Employees with empty buckets are prone to be followers, rather than take the initiative to be leaders. Followers wait for things to happen, while leaders take the initiative and make things happen. That’s because followers don’t feel as though it’s their job. Decision–making is an integral part of demonstrating initiative. Why make the effort to take a risk and make a decision if it’s not your job in the first place? So if you see employees lacking in initiative, step up your feedback.
4. People suffering from feedback deprivation commonly engage in destructive communication and people whose buckets are fairly full frequently engage in constructive communication. The simple cause of complaining, griping and back-biting, especially in the break room, may be nothing more than a number of employees who have been ignored too long and their buckets are running on empty. So when you become aware of destructive communication, step up your feedback.
5. Each day most of us make a decision to either get up and go to work, or roll over and go back to sleep. Part of that decision is centered on how much feedback we have received recently. A fair portion of time and attendance issues, such as being late or absent, could he prevented if managers invested more time in giving appropriate feedback to employees.
6. A few years ago a group of Outback restaurants implemented a program to reduce turnover among part¬-time employees. Each member of management was required to do three things each day to every part-time employee. They were to look the employee in the eye, use his or her first name, and ask a question about how their day was going. So to a part-time employee who was a student and worked the evening shift the comment might be, “Ann, how was your day at school?” Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But within six months Outback had slashed part-time employee turnover in those restaurants by a whopping 50 percent! How important is feedback? Ask those employees.
So what can you do as a manager to make deposits in employees’ buckets and to even plug up a few holes? There are four easy, but important strategies you might consider.
1. The quantity of feedback you give someone is important, but the quality is even more important. An idle comment may be welcome, but a question about how your midterm exam went yesterday could be a huge deposit. How much do you really know about your employees? Do you know how they spend their spare time? Do you know their hobbies? Are you concerned about them as an important part of your team? Take a few minutes and find out. And then fill a bucket!
2. Employees who receive appropriate and timely praise and recognition for their contributions to the company feel better about themselves. Feelings of being valuable and a contributor to the company can plug a few holes. Many books have been written about how to recognize employees, but the regrettable truth is that few managers consistently use the principle of praise and recognition appropriately. Look for both individual and group achievement and then make a fuss, and do it where a number of people can hear.
3. The third tactic to plug holes and make feedback deposits is to celebrate achievements. Too often managers believe that results are to be expected. It’s why we give you a paycheck, so we don’t need to celebrate individual successes. However, if you don’t pay attention to individual and group achievements, you’ll never know who crosses the finish line. Work at knowing who is achieving and then celebrate those achievements with your employees.
4. The extent to which any employee embraces changes to operating procedures or organizational structure is directly related to how much feedback that employee has been given regarding why the changes are necessary. Remember, feedback is a two way street. It doesn’t just flow from the manager to the employee. It needs to flow from the employee to the manager too. When employees are asked for their feedback regarding potential changes, they are much more likely to embrace the change after it is implemented. Ensure that feedback flows in both directions.
In this article we’ve looked at the feedback bucket. I like the metaphor because its uniqueness is so memorable to my students. Take a serious look at your employees this month and determine which buckets are running too low. Then, make some major deposits in those buckets. Use the techniques in this article. You’ll like the results. Look for a
 Each of us has a bucket located in our heart and whenever we receive any type of feedback it goes in our bucket. I’ve taught the metaphor of the feedback bucket to thousands of people around the country. Perhaps because it’s so simple, or because of the catchy name, but for whatever reason, it helps people grasp the importance of the feedback with give and receive in our interactions with others. Picture your feedback bucket and imagine all types of feedback you receive each day going into your bucket. The problem is that we have holes in our buckets, which cause the feedback to leak out over time. If there are a lot of holes, or if some are large, the feedback leaks out quickly. If a person’s bucket doesn’t have many holes, or if they are just pinpricks, the feedback leaks out slowly. Remember, we all have a bucket and every bucket has some holes in it.
Who put the holes in your bucket? The answer is complex, but stated simply they came from both internal and external sources. You probably drilled a few yourself through careless actions and others came from parents, family, friends, associates, and your present and former bosses. Because our lives constantly change, the holes in our feedback buckets are in a state of flux. Holes come, and holes go, but some are always there.
How does an employee behave when his or her feedback bucket is empty? How would that same employee behave if his or her bucket had a few deposits of feedback? The response I get to these questions from retail managers is surprisingly consistent. And I’ll bet you probably know some of the answers. But before we get to that, first keep in mind that people suffer great pain when their bucket is empty. Feedback deprivation is one of the most psychologically painful experiences a person can have. In fact, mentally healthy people will go to extraordinary measures to ensure that their bucket doesn’t run dry.
Consider that people don’t consciously know when their bucket is empty. It’s something we can’t recognize because most of us don’t understand it. It is a feeling or an emotion; and being able to pinpoint emotions is difficult for most people.
Even if a person knew that his or her “bucket gauge” was on empty, it’s highly unlikely that the person would ask for feedback from others–especially men, because it would show weakness. If women are the better communicators, like some people say, and if they are more intuitive, again like some experts say, then maybe women would be better suited to know when their bucket was empty, and maybe they might be more able to ask for help.
So how can you know if one of your employee’s feedback bucket is running low? Typically, a problem with inadequate feedback will show up in one or more of six ways.
1. A person’s work performance (quantity and quality of work) is quite often directly related to the amount of feedback in his or her bucket. It doesn’t mean that a person will stop working when their bucket’s empty, but sustained performance over time requires at least some feedback in the bucket. So if you see an employee’s performance beginning to erode try stepping up your feedback to that person.
2. The ability to get along peaceably with co¬workers and even work effectively as a team is also directly related to how much feedback those people recently received. Workers are less likely to demonstrate patience, cooperation, understanding or tolerance when their feedback buckets are empty, or even near empty. So when you want a group of employees to become a team of employees, be sure that your feedback to them is frequent and positive.
3. Employees with empty buckets are prone to be followers, rather than take the initiative to be leaders. Followers wait for things to happen, while leaders take the initiative and make things happen. That’s because followers don’t feel as though it’s their job. Decision–making is an integral part of demonstrating initiative. Why make the effort to take a risk and make a decision if it’s not your job in the first place? So if you see employees lacking in initiative, step up your feedback.
4. People suffering from feedback deprivation commonly engage in destructive communication and people whose buckets are fairly full frequently engage in constructive communication. The simple cause of complaining, griping and back-biting, especially in the break room, may be nothing more than a number of employees who have been ignored too long and their buckets are running on empty. So when you become aware of destructive communication, step up your feedback.
5. Each day most of us make a decision to either get up and go to work, or roll over and go back to sleep. Part of that decision is centered on how much feedback we have received recently. A fair portion of time and attendance issues, such as being late or absent, could he prevented if managers invested more time in giving appropriate feedback to employees.
6. A few years ago a group of Outback restaurants implemented a program to reduce turnover among part¬-time employees. Each member of management was required to do three things each day to every part-time employee. They were to look the employee in the eye, use his or her first name, and ask a question about how their day was going. So to a part-time employee who was a student and worked the evening shift the comment might be, “Ann, how was your day at school?” Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But within six months Outback had slashed part-time employee turnover in those restaurants by a whopping 50 percent! How important is feedback? Ask those employees.
So what can you do as a manager to make deposits in employees’ buckets and to even plug up a few holes? There are four easy, but important strategies you might consider.
1. The quantity of feedback you give someone is important, but the quality is even more important. An idle comment may be welcome, but a question about how your midterm exam went yesterday could be a huge deposit. How much do you really know about your employees? Do you know how they spend their spare time? Do you know their hobbies? Are you concerned about them as an important part of your team? Take a few minutes and find out. And then fill a bucket!
2. Employees who receive appropriate and timely praise and recognition for their contributions to the company feel better about themselves. Feelings of being valuable and a contributor to the company can plug a few holes. Many books have been written about how to recognize employees, but the regrettable truth is that few managers consistently use the principle of praise and recognition appropriately. Look for both individual and group achievement and then make a fuss, and do it where a number of people can hear.
3. The third tactic to plug holes and make feedback deposits is to celebrate achievements. Too often managers believe that results are to be expected. It’s why we give you a paycheck, so we don’t need to celebrate individual successes. However, if you don’t pay attention to individual and group achievements, you’ll never know who crosses the finish line. Work at knowing who is achieving and then celebrate those achievements with your employees.
4. The extent to which any employee embraces changes to operating procedures or organizational structure is directly related to how much feedback that employee has been given regarding why the changes are necessary. Remember, feedback is a two way street. It doesn’t just flow from the manager to the employee. It needs to flow from the employee to the manager too. When employees are asked for their feedback regarding potential changes, they are much more likely to embrace the change after it is implemented. Ensure that feedback flows in both directions.
In this article we’ve looked at the feedback bucket. I like the metaphor because its uniqueness is so memorable to my students. Take a serious look at your employees this month and determine which buckets are running too low. Then, make some major deposits in those buckets. Use the techniques in this article. You’ll like the results.
Tags: coaching feedback, corrective feedback, employee feedback, feedback, positive reinforcement
Posted in feedback, leadership, management | No Comments »
Thursday, October 27th, 2011
In previous articles we have looked at the importance of interpersonal feedback in both our personal and professional lives. Feedback is so fundamental to our interpersonal relationships that most people believe they have an innate ability to deliver it. But, in fact, most people are actually ineffective in delivering feedback. Perhaps the reason is that too many of us tend to gloss over what we believe are the simple things and pay more attention to what we believe to be complex or difficult. Whatever the reason, feedback is the foundational element of all successful interpersonal relationships. With effective feedback relationships can work, and without it relationships are doomed to failure. The regrettable truth is that far too many people, both at home and at work, demonstrate poor feedback skills. That’s why we have spent eight months learning to be more effective in delivering feedback!
Feedback is the fourth most important ingredient of life for a mentally healthy human. It follows only air, water and food on the list of basic human needs. Appropriate feedback brings people a level of comfort that is difficult to achieve from any other source. Inappropriate feedback creates a level of discomfort and friction that commonly produces undesired behaviors. The ability to deliver feedback, therefore, really ought to be taught as a basic interpersonal skill. Regrettably, most people are left to figure out how to deliver feedback on their own.
One of the best ways to learn feedback skills is to associate with people who do it well. Although I’ve worked for many people, two former bosses in the retail industry come to mind. Richard, for example, was a boss who had exceptional feedback skills, while Joe had unbelievably poor skills. While working for Richard I found myself looking for ways to be more effective in my job responsibilities, as well as looking for ways to help him in his responsibilities.
Joe, on the other hand, made me frustrated, uninvolved, worry-prone, and sometimes less than productive. I recall for example, a time when I was summoned to Joe’s office for an unscheduled meeting. As I hurried up the back stairway to his office, I convinced myself that something was wrong. I was certain that I was in a hurry to attend a chew-out session. My imagination ran wild in the few minutes it took me to reach his office with numerous possibilities, all negative. But then, when the meeting began I found out that the reason I had been summoned was to merely give me some information that I needed for a project I was working on. There wasn’t a problem; I wasn’t getting fired; nothing was wrong; I wasn’t even in trouble. And all of my worry had been for nothing.
The reason my mind ran wild with negative possibilities that day was due to the poor relationship I had with Joe. His failure to give me the feedback that I so desperately needed to nourish OUT relationship caused me to not only distrust him and the situation, but to also expect the worst to happen. Even though I had studied the principles of feedback and was well aware of its effects on people, both positive and negative, I was nonetheless unable to separate myself from assuming the worst. That’s because I need supportive feedback, just like you and everyone else.
Contrast that experience to the time I worked for Richard. He went out of his way to listen to my ideas, counsel my aspirations, and coach my behavior. When I was successful lie noticed and gave me supportive feedback. When I was less than successful he corrected me with appropriate feedback that did not damage my self-worth. When I spoke he listened with his full attention. When he asked for my opinion I knew full well that my good ideas would be implemented without question or reservation. Richard knew me, my wife’s name, details about my children’s lives, my goals, my strengths, my weaknesses, my worries, and my fears. In short, he knew me because he cared about me. And because he knew me, he gave me feedback,
So how was my performance for Richard, as compared to Joe? I would like to think that I perform well, regardless of how I’m coached, but that’s not true. I contributed to both Richard and Joe, but I clearly pushed harder, longer and better for Richard, because he gave me the feedback I desired. Of that I have no doubt!
In a previous article we learned a metaphor called the Feedback Bucket. The feedback we receive, both positive and negative, goes into our Feedback Bucket. The problem is that life’s experiences drill holes in our buckets, so the feedback we receive leaks out over time. That’s why we need a constant amount of feedback each day to keep our bucket from running dry.
People with empty buckets behave differently than people whose buckets have recently received feedback. Empty buckets at work can lead to lower productivity, dishonesty, increased turnover, poor attendance, lower accuracy, poor customer service, and a less than caring attitude toward job responsibilities. Empty buckets at home can lead to spouses seeking fulfillment elsewhere, and children seeking reinforcement from kids on the streets.
The power of supportive feedback is incredible! A phrase every person should memorize is: “A behavior rewarded (with supportive feedback) tends to be repeated.” At work and at home, when you see a behavior you like or one that leads to desired results, it is vital that you reinforce the behavior with a carefully worded feedback statement.
Over the last few weeks, we looked at the methods of using corrective feedback to change behavior. It’s important to develop effective techniques, because perceived criticism in interpersonal relationships has such negative consequences. We learned that on occasion behavior change can be accomplished with supportive feedback, especially if the person’s Feedback Bucket is low. A second technique is to use a series of focused questions that direct the person to suggest a change in their own behavior. And the third technique is to use an assertive statement that specifically describes the needed behavior changes.
 In previous articles we have looked at the importance of interpersonal feedback in both our personal and professional lives. Feedback is so fundamental to our interpersonal relationships that most people believe they have an innate ability to deliver it. But, in fact, most people are actually ineffective in delivering feedback. Perhaps the reason is that too many of us tend to gloss over what we believe are the simple things andpay more attention to what we believe to be complex or difficult. Whatever the reason, feedback is the foundational element of all successful interpersonal relationships. With effective feedback relationships can work, and without it relationships are doomed to failure. The regrettable truth is that far too many people, both at home and at work, demonstrate poor feedback skills. That’s why we have spent eight months learning to be more effective in delivering feedback!
Feedback is the fourth most important ingredient of life for a mentally healthy human. It follows only air, water and food on the list of basic human needs. Appropriate feedback brings people a level of comfort that is difficult to achieve from any other source. Inappropriate feedback creates a level of discomfort and friction that commonly produces undesired behaviors. The ability to deliver feedback, therefore, really ought to be taught as a basic interpersonal skill. Regrettably, most people are left to figure out how to deliver feedback on their own.
One of the best ways to learn feedback skills is to associate with people who do it well. Although I’ve worked for many people, two former bosses in the retail industry come to mind. Richard, for example, was a boss who had exceptional feedback skills, while Joe had unbelievably poor skills. While working for Richard I found myself looking for ways to be more effective in my job responsibilities, as well as looking for ways to help him in his responsibilities.
Joe, on the other hand, made me frustrated, uninvolved, worry-prone, and sometimes less than productive. I recall for example, a time when I was summoned to Joe’s office for an unscheduled meeting. As I hurried up the back stairway to his office, I convinced myself that something was wrong. I was certain that I was in a hurry to attend a chew-out session. My imagination ran wild in the few minutes it took me to reach his office with numerous possibilities, all negative. But then, when the meeting began I found out that the reason I had been summoned was to merely give me some information that I needed for a project I was working on. There wasn’t a problem; I wasn’t getting fired; nothing was wrong; I wasn’t even in trouble. And all of my worry had been for nothing.
The reason my mind ran wild with negative possibilities that day was due to the poor relationship I had with Joe. His failure to give me the feedback that I so desperately needed to nourish OUT relationship caused me to not only distrust him and the situation, but to also expect the worst to happen. Even though I had studied the principles of feedback and was well aware of its effects on people, both positive and negative, I was nonetheless unable to separate myself from assuming the worst. That’s because I need supportive feedback, just like you and everyone else.
Contrast that experience to the time I worked for Richard. He went out of his way to listen to my ideas, counsel my aspirations, and coach my behavior. When I was successful lie noticed and gave me supportive feedback. When I was less than successful he corrected me with appropriate feedback that did not damage my self-worth. When I spoke he listened with his full attention. When he asked for my opinion I knew full well that my good ideas would be implemented without question or reservation. Richard knew me, my wife’s name, details about my children’s lives, my goals, my strengths, my weaknesses, my worries, and my fears. In short, he knew me because he cared about me. And because he knew me, he gave me feedback,
So how was my performance for Richard, as compared to Joe? I would like to think that I perform well, regardless of how I’m coached, but that’s not true. I contributed to both Richard and Joe, but I clearly pushed harder, longer and better for Richard, because he gave me the feedback I desired. Of that I have no doubt!
In a previous article we learned a metaphor called the Feedback Bucket. The feedback we receive, both positive and negative, goes into our Feedback Bucket. The problem is that life’s experiences drill holes in our buckets, so the feedback we receive leaks out over time. That’s why we need a constant amount of feedback each day to keep our bucket from running dry.
People with empty buckets behave differently than people whose buckets have recently received feedback. Empty buckets at work can lead to lower productivity, dishonesty, increased turnover, poor attendance, lower accuracy, poor customer service, and a less than caring attitude toward job responsibilities. Empty buckets at home can lead to spouses seeking fulfillment elsewhere, and children seeking reinforcement from kids on the streets.
The power of supportive feedback is incredible! A phrase every person should memorize is: “A behavior rewarded (with supportive feedback) tends to be repeated.” At work and at home, when you see a behavior you like or one that leads to desired results, it is vital that you reinforce the behavior with a carefully worded feedback statement.
Over the last few weeks, we looked at the methods of using corrective feedback to change behavior. It’s important to develop effective techniques, because perceived criticism in interpersonal relationships has such negative consequences. We learned that on occasion behavior change can be accomplished with supportive feedback, especially if the person’s Feedback Bucket is low. A second technique is to use a series of focused questions that direct the person to suggest a change in their own behavior. And the third technique is to use an assertive statement that specifically describes the needed behavior changes.
Tags: coaching feedback, delivering feedback, employee feedback, feedback
Posted in feedback | No Comments »
Friday, October 14th, 2011
Last time we learned how to transfer ownership of the problem and solution to the employee (don’t forget this works at home with a son or daughter) by asking a series of directed but open-ended questions. We learned that if the employee will accept ownership of the problem and solution, there is a high likelihood of long-lasting success. If, for whatever reason, you don’t use directed questions and resort to imposing a solution, there is a possibility that any change in behavior will be temporary. That means the conversation will happen again, and most likely very soon. So if you find yourself dealing with the same problems over and over, perhaps the entire problem isn’t the employee, but it might be the method you have chosen to deal with it.
In this discussion, we’re going to look at the most effective method of imposing a solution, assuming supportive feedback and/or a series of directed questions haven’t been successful. There are situations where neither supportive feedback, nor asking directed questions will get the desired behavior change. Perhaps it’s because of the differences in people, or maybe it has to do with the fact that some people are downright stubborn. The truth is that some situations are difficult and can even be explosive. And remember, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Whatever the reason, managers (parents too) need a direct technique that can work in those situations. In my 30 plus years of dealing with people and a manager and coach, I’ve seen this .final technique work in situations where the others have failed. I hope you’ll notice that it is very similar to the supportive feedback strategy that we learned in a previous discussion.
I learned many years ago that the most effective managers seem to work on their effectiveness at home and then bring those techniques to work. For that reason, let me use an example from home one that commonly plagues many American households. Assume, for this example, that you have a teenager whose bedroom needs a serious cleaning. It’s been cluttered and dirty for a long time. Assume also that you’ve tried supportive feedback and directed questions, but neither has generated any behavior change. So now you decide to impose a solution with an assertive statement. After considering your approach, you choose the right time and place for the discussion. Sitting your son down you begin.
“Junior, for several weeks you have neglected your bedroom. There are dirty clothes and discarded food wrappers on the floor. Your room hasn’t been cleaned for a long time. You have lived with trash and clutter for so long that I fear it has become a way of life. Quite frankly, I feel embarrassed to have anyone see your room, because it lowers the standard of our entire family. I need you to take better care of your room. What can I do to help?”
The same technique could be used at work. Consider a stocker who has repeatedly ignored a particular section. Once again, assume you’ve tried supportive feedback and directed questions in an attempt to change behavior, but they haven’t worked. So, you resort to an assertive statement. Using the same formula, the statement could go something like this.
“Sam, for several weeks you have neglected this section. Every day this week, for example, we’ve had at least a dozen out of stocks. I’ve checked the back room and there’s back stock that could be worked in, but for some reason it stays in the back room. I worry that your behavior these past weeks has become a habit. Frankly, I’m embarrassed for our customers and employees in this store to see this section, because it lowers the standard of our entire store. I need you to take better care of this section. I need you to take the responsibility of working the back stock in even before the nuts appear. Now, what could I do to help?”
So, what do you think? Would an assertive statement work? What are the odds that “Junior” or “Sam” will change their behavior? And more importantly, what are the odds that any behavior change will be long-lasting? That might be the more significant question.
The answer is that assertive statements can produce long-term behavior change, but not as often as using supportive feedback or directed questions. But as a final attempt to change behavior, it’s something you need to try. And sometimes, it will work. I’ve been surprised in numerous situations where I made an assertive statement believing it was a futile attempt, only to discover that it worked.
In each of the two examples above, a formula was used. Did you see the similarities? The formula empowers the technique with the possibility of success, because it is constructed in such a way that the receiver gets a very strong message, without damaging personal self-worth. Note also that the formula includes specifics about the undesirable behaviors and their consequences. Another thing the formula does is to approach the employee on a “feelings” level. Our feelings about undesired behaviors can be as powerful in changing behavior as a description of the behavior itself. Too many managers fail to include their feelings about a situation because they feel uncomfortable when describing their feelings. Don’t avoid describing your feelings: use them. Your feelings can be a powerful tool.
The formula used in the examples is as follows: Assertive statements to correct behavior:
1. Describe the specific behavior.
2. Describe the consequences of the behavior.
3. Describe how you feel about the behavior.
4. Describe why you ‘feel that way.
5. Describe what you need changed.
Frankly, of the three methods we’ve learned in this series of three discussion on correcting behavior—supportive feedback, directed questions and assertive statements—I like directed questions most. That technique works more for me, on average, than the other two methods. Remember though, that being skilled in all three methods will give you options. And having options can make you a more effective manager at changing behavior and driving results.
Last time we learned how to transfer ownership of the problem and solution to the employee (don’t forget this works at home with a son or daughter) by asking a series of directed but open-ended questions. We learned that if the employee will accept ownership of the problem and solution, there is a high likelihood of long-lasting success. If, for whatever reason, you don’t use directed questions and resort to imposing a solution, there is a possibility that any change in behavior will be temporary. That means the conversation will happen again,  and most likely very soon. So if you find yourself dealing with the same problems over and over, perhaps the entire problem isn’t the employee, but it might be the method you have chosen to deal with it.
In this discussion, we’re going to look at the most effective method of imposing a solution, assuming supportive feedback and/or a series of directed questions haven’t been successful. There are situations where neither supportive feedback, nor asking directed questions will get the desired behavior change. Perhaps it’s because of the differences in people, or maybe it has to do with the fact that some people are downright stubborn. The truth is that some situations are difficult and can even be explosive. And remember, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Whatever the reason, managers (parents too) need a direct technique that can work in those situations. In my 30 plus years of dealing with people and a manager and coach, I’ve seen this .final technique work in situations where the others have failed. I hope you’ll notice that it is very similar to the supportive feedback strategy that we learned in a previous discussion.
I learned many years ago that the most effective managers seem to work on their effectiveness at home and then bring those techniques to work. For that reason, let me use an example from home one that commonly plagues many American households. Assume, for this example, that you have a teenager whose bedroom needs a serious cleaning. It’s been cluttered and dirty for a long time. Assume also that you’ve tried supportive feedback and directed questions, but neither has generated any behavior change. So now you decide to impose a solution with an assertive statement. After considering your approach, you choose the right time and place for the discussion. Sitting your son down you begin.
“Junior, for several weeks you have neglected your bedroom. There are dirty clothes and discarded food wrappers on the floor. Your room hasn’t been cleaned for a long time. You have lived with trash and clutter for so long that I fear it has become a way of life. Quite frankly, I feel embarrassed to have anyone see your room, because it lowers the standard of our entire family. I need you to take better care of your room. What can I do to help?”
The same technique could be used at work. Consider a stocker who has repeatedly ignored a particular section. Once again, assume you’ve tried supportive feedback and directed questions in an attempt to change behavior, but they haven’t worked. So, you resort to an assertive statement. Using the same formula, the statement could go something like this.
“Sam, for several weeks you have neglected this section. Every day this week, for example, we’ve had at least a dozen out of stocks. I’ve checked the back room and there’s back stock that could be worked in, but for some reason it stays in the back room. I worry that your behavior these past weeks has become a habit. Frankly, I’m embarrassed for our customers and employees in this store to see this section, because it lowers the standard of our entire store. I need you to take better care of this section. I need you to take the responsibility of working the back stock in even before the nuts appear. Now, what could I do to help?”
So, what do you think? Would an assertive statement work? What are the odds that “Junior” or “Sam” will change their behavior? And more importantly, what are the odds that any behavior change will be long-lasting? That might be the more significant question.
The answer is that assertive statements can produce long-term behavior change, but not as often as using supportive feedback or directed questions. But as a final attempt to change behavior, it’s something you need to try. And sometimes, it will work. I’ve been surprised in numerous situations where I made an assertive statement believing it was a futile attempt, only to discover that it worked.
In each of the two examples above, a formula was used. Did you see the similarities? The formula empowers the technique with the possibility of success, because it is constructed in such a way that the receiver gets a very strong message, without damaging personal self-worth. Note also that the formula includes specifics about the undesirable behaviors and their consequences. Another thing the formula does is to approach the employee on a “feelings” level. Our feelings about undesired behaviors can be as powerful in changing behavior as a description of the behavior itself. Too many managers fail to include their feelings about a situation because they feel uncomfortable when describing their feelings. Don’t avoid describing your feelings: use them. Your feelings can be a powerful tool.
The formula used in the examples is as follows: Assertive statements to correct behavior:
1. Describe the specific behavior.
2. Describe the consequences of the behavior.
3. Describe how you feel about the behavior.
4. Describe why you ‘feel that way.
5. Describe what you need changed.
Frankly, of the three methods we’ve learned in this series of three discussion on correcting behavior—supportive feedback, directed questions and assertive statements—I like directed questions most. That technique works more for me, on average, than the other two methods. Remember though, that being skilled in all three methods will give you options. And having options can make you a more effective manager at changing behavior and driving results.
Tags: behavior, corrective feedback, corrective feedback example, employee feedback, feedback
Posted in feedback | No Comments »
Monday, August 15th, 2011
In earlier discussions, we’ve looked at the importance of interpersonal feedback. We’ve learned that there are four types of feedback: supportive, corrective, insignificant and abusive. We learned that the feedback we receive goes into our “Feedback Bucket,” but it leaks out over time for a variety of reasons. As a result, most of us need constant nourishing of our bucket to prevent it from draining dry.
This time we’ll look at supportive feedback, arguably the most important of the four types. But unfortunately, even those persons who think they know how to deliver supportive feedback oftentimes do so ineffectively.
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to understand supportive feedback is to visit one of the Sea World marine parks watching the trainers reinforce animal behavior! What the trainers do at Sea World isn’t a secret. In their shows they openly explain how positive reinforcement is used to change and model animal behavior.
One of the techniques the trainers use involves a long pole with a white pad on one end called a target. I’ve used a miniature version of the target as a demonstration in my workshops. First, I find a participant who loves Snickers & candy bars. I begin by touching the padded end of the target to the nose of my subject and then offering candy as a reward. This process is repeated several times until the subject gets the connection that touching the nose equals a desired reward.
Then I move the target close to the subject’s nose, but not touching it. In order to get the candy the subject must lean forward the final few inches. This process is repeated as I gradually increase the distance. To complete the demonstration, I hold the target above the person’s head, which requires the person to stand on a chair in order to get the reward. It’s at that point that I ask, “Now do you understand how Sea World can get Shamu to jump over twenty feet out of the water and splash on all the human fools who sit in the “Splash Zone.”
So what does Shamu have to do with giving supportive feedback? Consider a clerk who for several years has covered an important afternoon and evening shift several days each week. Her busy schedule is a difficult balancing act as a part-time student, mother, and clerk, but she does well in all three areas. In the office, she has been cooperative, responsible and dependable. She could even be on a short-list for advancement if the circumstances warranted it.
Because of her ability and experience, she appears to need minimal supervision. As a result, over time the manager and other key members of management systematically ignore her. After all, as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And don’t forget that a typical manager is forced to spend 80 percent of his or her time with 20 percent of the employees: the ones who create the problems. The clerk is certainly not in the 20 percent, so if there is an employee who can be ignored, she must be the one.
But don’t forget, this clerk has a feedback bucket—just like everyone else. She needs daily deposits of feedback-just like everyone else. And if she doesn’t get enough feedback, and her bucket drains dry, what do you think will happen to her being cooperative, responsible and dependable? Actually, this is a classic story of why good employees can lose their effectiveness. The interesting thing is that a person whose bucket drains dry and then whose job performance erodes may not even be aware of what happened or why it happened. All the clerk may be able to relate in all exit interview is that she has become bored with the job and the challenge and excitement are gone. This is a critical principle of managing others: consistent superior performance over time is directly related to the employee receiving enough appropriate feedback to keep the bucket from draining dry.
So what could the manager do to make a substantial deposit of feedback in the clerk’s bucket? What if the manager said to her, “Mary, I really appreciate what you were able to get accomplished yesterday.” You worked really well and I especially like that you cleaned up the files. As a result, we had a great head start on the invoices. I know how hectic the afternoon shift can be but you have a knack of making things happen. I want you to know how happy I am with what you did. You are an important part of our team. Thanks.”
It’s difficult to say how often Mary might need a substantial deposit of feedback like this one, but it needs to be on a frequency that her bucket can’t drain dry. And it needs to be specifically focused on her performance that contributes to departmental excellence. The manager must be aware of Mary’s job performance and then take the time to give her appropriate feedback.
The feedback the manager gave Mary follows a specific formula. Notice that it wasn’t atta boy, or atta girl, or way to go, or nice going, or keep it up, or looking good. All of those comments are okay, and people can feel better after hearing them. But they lack the power we oftentimes need to get the reaction we want, Atta boys and atta girls are insignificant feedback, because they lack the power of real supportive feedback.
The formula to deliver supportive feedback in the most powerful way is
1. Describe the specific behavior.
2. Describe the positive consequences of the behavior.
3. Describe how you feel about the behavior.
4. Describe why you feel that way.
First, the manager described specifically what Mary did, in other words her behaviors. Next, he explained the positive consequences of those behaviors. Then he told her how he feels about what she did. And finally, he explained why he feels the way he does. Each of the four steps is designed to focus the supportive feedback in a way to maximize its effect. An atta boy is less effective than this formula because it is so non-specific and unfocused. The recipient of an atta boy may not be able to connect the feedback with his or her behavior. The reason this formula works so well is that it supports the specific behavior that you want repeated, and it does so in a very powerful way. It is in this way that the supportive feedback formula is similar to the method used by Sea World to reinforce behaviors with the animals.
There are two directions you can take when giving supportive feedback. You can reinforce who the person is, inside, or you can reinforce a behavior the person does that you would like repeated. While both of these reinforcements are good and appropriate, knowing when to use each type, and how much of it to do can be confusing. It can take some time and practice in reading people to be able to discern how much reinforcement of a behavior is needed as compared to reinforcing the good nature of that person. Perhaps the reason it can be confusing is that both of these reinforcements are necessary, most especially to your children. The challenge is when to use each type. Actually, the two techniques are related. So whether you reinforce the person, or the behavior, you haven’t wasted your time. Good timings frequently happen as a result of either type of supportive feedback.
Because of the pressure to make a profit, too many managers have forgotten the importance of helping employees reduce or eliminate ineffective behaviors. One of the most effective ways I know of eliminating ineffective behaviors from employees is to fill their feedback buckets with supportive feedback. When your supportive feedback fills someone’s bucket, and makes them feel good inside, there is a much better chance that that person will act effectively and cause fewer problems in the future, In other words, a little investment of your time today will likely bring fewer problems tomorrow.
Sometimes, with some people, supportive feedback doesn’t work, In spite of your best efforts, whether you use the power formula or not, some people won’t react positively to supportive feedback. What do you do then? Is there a formula for those situations? We’ll look at those issues in the future.
 In earlier discussions, we’ve looked at the importance of interpersonal feedback. We’ve learned that there are four types of feedback: supportive, corrective, insignificant and abusive. We learned that the feedback we receive goes into our “Feedback Bucket,” but it leaks out over time for a variety of reasons. As a result, most of us need constant nourishing of our bucket to prevent it from draining dry.
This time we’ll look at supportive feedback, arguably the most important of the four types. But unfortunately, even those persons who think they know how to deliver supportive feedback oftentimes do so ineffectively.
Believe it or not, one of the best ways to understand supportive feedback is to visit one of the Sea World marine parks watching the trainers reinforce animal behavior! What the trainers do at Sea World isn’t a secret. In their shows they openly explain how positive reinforcement is used to change and model animal behavior.
One of the techniques the trainers use involves a long pole with a white pad on one end called a target. I’ve used a miniature version of the target as a demonstration in my workshops. First, I find a participant who loves Snickers & candy bars. I begin by touching the padded end of the target to the nose of my subject and then offering candy as a reward. This process is repeated several times until the subject gets the connection that touching the nose equals a desired reward.
Then I move the target close to the subject’s nose, but not touching it. In order to get the candy the subject must lean forward the final few inches. This process is repeated as I gradually increase the distance. To complete the demonstration, I hold the target above the person’s head, which requires the person to stand on a chair in order to get the reward. It’s at that point that I ask, “Now do you understand how Sea World can get Shamu to jump over twenty feet out of the water and splash on all the human fools who sit in the “Splash Zone.”
So what does Shamu have to do with giving supportive feedback? Consider a clerk who for several years has covered an important afternoon and evening shift several days each week. Her busy schedule is a difficult balancing act as a part-time student, mother, and clerk, but she does well in all three areas. In the office, she has been cooperative, responsible and dependable. She could even be on a short-list for advancement if the circumstances warranted it.
Because of her ability and experience, she appears to need minimal supervision. As a result, over time the manager and other key members of management systematically ignore her. After all, as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And don’t forget that a typical manager is forced to spend 80 percent of his or her time with 20 percent of the employees: the ones who create the problems. The clerk is certainly not in the 20 percent, so if there is an employee who can be ignored, she must be the one.
But don’t forget, this clerk has a feedback bucket—just like everyone else. She needs daily deposits of feedback-just like everyone else. And if she doesn’t get enough feedback, and her bucket drains dry, what do you think will happen to her being cooperative, responsible and dependable? Actually, this is a classic story of why good employees can lose their effectiveness. The interesting thing is that a person whose bucket drains dry and then whose job performance erodes may not even be aware of what happened or why it happened. All the clerk may be able to relate in all exit interview is that she has become bored with the job and the challenge and excitement are gone. This is a critical principle of managing others: consistent superior performance over time is directly related to the employee receiving enough appropriate feedback to keep the bucket from draining dry.
So what could the manager do to make a substantial deposit of feedback in the clerk’s bucket? What if the manager said to her, “Mary, I really appreciate what you were able to get accomplished yesterday.” You worked really well and I especially like that you cleaned up the files. As a result, we had a great head start on the invoices. I know how hectic the afternoon shift can be but you have a knack of making things happen. I want you to know how happy I am with what you did. You are an important part of our team. Thanks.”
It’s difficult to say how often Mary might need a substantial deposit of feedback like this one, but it needs to be on a frequency that her bucket can’t drain dry. And it needs to be specifically focused on her performance that contributes to departmental excellence. The manager must be aware of Mary’s job performance and then take the time to give her appropriate feedback.
The feedback the manager gave Mary follows a specific formula. Notice that it wasn’t atta boy, or atta girl, or way to go, or nice going, or keep it up, or looking good. All of those comments are okay, and people can feel better after hearing them. But they lack the power we oftentimes need to get the reaction we want, Atta boys and atta girls are insignificant feedback, because they lack the power of real supportive feedback.
The formula to deliver supportive feedback in the most powerful way is
1. Describe the specific behavior.
2. Describe the positive consequences of the behavior.
3. Describe how you feel about the behavior.
4. Describe why you feel that way.
First, the manager described specifically what Mary did, in other words her behaviors. Next, he explained the positive consequences of those behaviors. Then he told her how he feels about what she did. And finally, he explained why he feels the way he does. Each of the four steps is designed to focus the supportive feedback in a way to maximize its effect. An atta boy is less effective than this formula because it is so non-specific and unfocused. The recipient of an atta boy may not be able to connect the feedback with his or her behavior. The reason this formula works so well is that it supports the specific behavior that you want repeated, and it does so in a very powerful way. It is in this way that the supportive feedback formula is similar to the method used by Sea World to reinforce behaviors with the animals.
There are two directions you can take when giving supportive feedback. You can reinforce who the person is, inside, or you can reinforce a behavior the person does that you would like repeated. While both of these reinforcements are good and appropriate, knowing when to use each type, and how much of it to do can be confusing. It can take some time and practice in reading people to be able to discern how much reinforcement of a behavior is needed as compared to reinforcing the good nature of that person. Perhaps the reason it can be confusing is that both of these reinforcements are necessary, most especially to your children. The challenge is when to use each type. Actually, the two techniques are related. So whether you reinforce the person, or the behavior, you haven’t wasted your time. Good timings frequently happen as a result of either type of supportive feedback.
Because of the pressure to make a profit, too many managers have forgotten the importance of helping employees reduce or eliminate ineffective behaviors. One of the most effective ways I know of eliminating ineffective behaviors from employees is to fill their feedback buckets with supportive feedback. When your supportive feedback fills someone’s bucket, and makes them feel good inside, there is a much better chance that that person will act effectively and cause fewer problems in the future, In other words, a little investment of your time today will likely bring fewer problems tomorrow.
Sometimes, with some people, supportive feedback doesn’t work, In spite of your best efforts, whether you use the power formula or not, some people won’t react positively to supportive feedback. What do you do then? Is there a formula for those situations? We’ll look at those issues in the future.
Tags: employee feedback, employee performance, employee performance appraisal, feedback
Posted in feedback | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
I believe there is a correlation between employee happiness, customer satisfaction, and increased profit margin. We all know in order for a company to stay in business it must produce profits. Too often though, the focus is centered around profits and not enough on the drivers of profits, the employees. Employees tend to treat the customers, whether internal or external, to the extent to which they are satisfied and happy with their current position. The question becomes how does a leader create enthusiasm and ensure job satisfaction for their team members.
Most satisfied employees feel empowered. This means they must have the tools, support, training and ability to make decisions. In addition, a leader needs to become more of a coach than a “teller” or dictator. Coaching creates an atmosphere of collaboration, trust, and confidence, where constructive and sincere feedback is accepted. Remember, “The worst feedback is no feedback”.
Employees need to understand how their job function contributes to the bottom line of the organization. Employees will tend to work harder if they feel like their work is meaningful and adds value. My first job in high school was at a dry cleaner. I staffed the front counter taking in clothes, entering the information into the system and creating an invoice for the customer. The job was not exciting and every day I wished for the fewest customers possible. When a customer came in I would get the order entered as fast as I could and get back to doing nothing but wait for the next customer. Looking back, I imagine that not everything was entered properly and those mistakes, although small, cost the company some profits.
 I wonder if it would have been different if the manager took some time to explain how my work added value to the company through something simple like a scorecard. What if we created a scorecard review of my key functions so I could see the importance of the work I was doing. Even the “front counter” employees need to understand how important the work is that they are doing.
If employees are happy, customers are happy. When customers are happy, they come back and tell others of their experience. Repeat business and referrals equal greater profit. Sometimes we need to step back and look at our own performance. Are we focusing solely on the profit and forgetting about the people driving the profit? Are we creating an atmosphere where employees are coached or are we a dictator? Do the employees know how important their job function is? Do the employees feel empowered and find their work meaningful? Are we tracking the important functions that help build profit? We need to look at these questions often as we lead for greater profit.
Tags: employee feedback, employees and profits, happy employees, importance of employees
Posted in Increase Profits, bottom line performance, bottom line results, motivation, results based leadership | 5 Comments »
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