63% of employees claimed they want more frequent immediate feedback on their work performance.
But, not every feedback is effective because there are a few things you need to consider. Specificity, setting, or style of delivery.
Feedback needs practice. And as with anything else, people make mistakes when delivering feedback. That is fine as long as you reflect on what you could improve and practice to improve it next time.
Here are common mistakes people make:
Sandwich approach
Positive, 'but' negative switch, 'but' back to positive. This structure is outdated and not productive. Some might still think that giving praise before and after criticism is beneficial. It is not.
Important messages might be lost in conversations. It is confusing. Imagine you hear:
Praise
But add some minor things to fix
But chill out with another praise
But now add a thick slice of criticism
But you try to escape by another praise
But add some small things to fix again
But in the end, finish with a praise
Bon appetite!
Feedback needs to be focused, not sugarcoated by 'trying to be nice'.
Sandwich undermines trust, distracts from real problems, and leads to bad listening habits. Kill 'but' from your vocabulary when delivering feedback. Or better stop using the sandwich completely.
Feedback when you have nothing to say
Some leaders feel obliged to say at least something. So, it happens they tend to repeat similar things again and again. That can make feedback boring and disengaged people.
Things like:
"I appreciate your hard work on this. You've clearly put a lot of effort into it."
"I think you've done a great job on [specific aspect].”
Feedback should help people grow, not be something you feel you have to do for the sake of doing it. You can always honestly escape by expanding the discussion:
"It might be valuable to get a second opinion from someone else who can offer a fresh perspective."
"I'm taking some time to think through your work, but I'd love to hear more about your thought process."
"You're definitely on the right track. Maybe exploring [specific idea or aspect] could add another layer to your work."
"Have you considered trying [specific approach or technique]? It might be interesting to see how that plays out."
Feedback does not have to be critical. It can offer encouragement, exploration, and direction. As long as you are genuine, the conversation might bring something interesting. Just please do not make anything up.
As Lisa says: “If you seriously have no opinion and you don’t want to be useless, your only option is to make something up which is never a good idea. So honestly, say I don’t have feedback on that subject.”
Lack of specificity
"Change it." "Improve it." “Good job”. Some feedback is vague and makes people frustrated. "Be more proactive." “It is OK, but it needs more work.” Why, how?
If your message is not specific and concise, people won't take anything out of it. Scrap it.
You need examples and clarity on what feedback is for. How it can help others to achieve their goals and grow their skills. It is a dialogue, not a single piece of advice you give, and your job is done.
Treat feedback like a story. Give a context, and introduce aspects to consider while not pushing your opinion forward too much. As what you believe is right might not be objective. Stay neutral, inclusive, and helpful.
Connect your feedback to goals people relate to.
Example:
Goal: Deliver a presentation about the latest tech updates to non-tech teams. So, they know what is happening and understand all the updates.
Vague presentation feedback: “It went well. Good job.”
More specific feedback: “Your presentation was well-structured. You highlighted how the updates relate to one another and how anyone can use them. You also encouraged questions and answered them with fun stories which kept people engaged. In the end, teams are on the same page.”
Wrong setting
When and where you give feedback is influential. Shaming someone publicly, even when meant as a joke, can harm your relationship.
Don't use team meetings to raise an issue with a specific colleague. It can lead to embarrassment and stress.
Instead, give a head-up and save private feedback for one-to-one.
Old pains
Feedback should be timely. If you wait for mid-year feedback, no one will remember what happened a few months ago. It might not even matter anymore.
Old pains should not be mourned about. Feedback makes only sense when delivered on time. Not when you think this is a 'good time'.
Always positive or negative feedback
Some people never say a bad thing about others. Others use feedback only when they feel correction or fix is needed.
Feedback is not positive or negative. Feedback shows you care about the development of others. You use it to support others in their endeavors.
If you only praise people, they might feel fatigued and praise-overloaded. If feedback is only negative, it can make them anxious and confident.
Do not avoid feedback.
Feedback needs practice
Feedback needs practice.
This is why you may want this feedback guide to stop being intimidated by feedback and make it work.
Either way, do not miss an opportunity to have feedback conversations. Both, as the one who provides and the one who receives it. You learn a lot!