Feedback Model

I have suggested the language podcasts on iTunes. They also have business podcasts on various issues. I've been listening to one called How to Give Feedback About Attire on Manager Tools by Michael Auzenne and Mark Horstman. It's free and you can also get it from their website.
One of the sessions I listened to was about talking to employees about dress codes. It is interesting and talks to this team's approach to managing employees in general. For the purposes of this topic they discuss the ways managers talk to employees - making judgements versus offering feedback on employee behavior with an explanation of impacts. In this scenario, not criticizing clothes specifically, but talking to the choices employees make and how to separate the person from the behavior. They describe situations where a dress code is too specific and tries to codify clothes. The difficulty is where a person is not breaking rules but is making choices that creates less than positive results. The model works in most scenarios.

Feedback Model
The object is not to focus on the past - what is right or wrong but to focus on desired future behavior.

They urge managers to talk to directs - If you want to change performance, change behavior. Delegating to others can backfire by not having the conversations happen in the best way and may end up aggravating an already upsetting situation.

4 steps to the feedback model

1. Ask: can I give you some feedback?
2. When you... describe behavior/statement of fact, without judgement
3. Describe impacts (A/B/C)
4. Offer positive or negative feedback

Comments

Anonymous said…
I'd like to chip in with my understanding of how those 4 steps are, which differs a bit:

1. Ask: can I give you some feedback?
2. Casually, use the template: when you [insert specific behavior], this is what happens [insert specific consequences, preferably tailored to the recipient’s disc model category)
3. Ask: what do you think you can do to avoid this in the future?
4. Thank the other person for his/her time

And in case of positive feedback, step 3 goes in the lines of "please, keep doing it".

Popular posts from this blog

New York State County ZIP Codes

Starting a Mobile Food Concession Business? Be Sure to Follow the Rules of the Road

Beware credit counseling services like Clear Your Debt LLC