BY C. Lee Smith
Is the feedback you’re giving to your employees making any difference? I’m not talking about praise feedback, which is not the most effective feedback for employees since it doesn't urge them to make necessary changes for their own betterment. Managers don’t usually have trouble with that. The bigger challenge is learning how to give feedback that results in improved work performance or better team participation. In our Voice of the Sales Rep survey, only 58% of sales professionals reported being crystal clear on what their managers expected of them.
What Is Destructive Engagement in Feedback?
Managers can use a variety of employee feedback techniques. While managers may not always be clear, they should avoid the habit of destructive engagement when they deliver feedback to a team member. Destructive engagement can take many forms and can border on toxic. A manager may use a hard tone during a feedback session. In their anger, they may curse at the team member, personally attack their character, or offer little information of value.
Employees who receive this kind of feedback typically retreat. They may be expecting a reprimand because of a mistake. But when negative feedback gets personal and does not come with any positive encouragement about what to do better in the future, most employees will withdraw. They may also cut back on their work effort and gossip with other employees about the manager.
Why Employee Feedback Fails
Feedback fails when managers don’t deliver it properly. To provide effective feedback for employees, managers must plan ahead. They should write down data points for easy reference when they talk with team members.
Allocating plenty of time for these types of one-
Those are the easy details. The active conversation is what most managers struggle actually with. When providing effective feedback for employees, they need to make their point, without browbeating the employee.
If managers interact through “destructive engagement,” a phrase coined by Peter Dean, they risk having the feedback session backfire. A raised voice and statements like, “We’ve been over this before,” will stir up an emotional reaction in the employee.
They’ll stop listening almost immediately. Instead, their thoughts will jump to worries, often about losing their job. They will not take in any of the feedback when the panic in their own mind is so much louder.
Very often, feedback fails because managers do not deliver it in a way the employee understands.
How Behavioral Styles Shape the Way Employees Receive Feedback
One way to understand an employee's reaction to feedback is to review the DISC behavioral assessment model. The model was conceptualized by William Moulton Marston, a psychologist. In the DISC framework, people fall into one of four basic styles based on the results of a standardized assessment. The styles are:
- Dominance
- Influence
- Steadiness
- Conscientiousness
The assessment considers both communication and work styles when making assignments. In addition, the assessment results usually assign both a major style and a minor style to an individual. This dual assignment process reflects the fact that people have a blend of traits. Understanding these traits allows managers to improve team communications and outcomes and optimize feedback. They can customize their feedback for different personality types.
Feedback for Dominant (D) Styles
Dominant employees are typically interested in accomplishing their goals. They are also competitive and direct communicators. Delivering any kind of feedback requires a manager to be specific and direct. However, a directly negative approach may start an argument. Managers should offer a positive alternative to the type of behavior they want to see corrected.
Feedback for Influential (I) Styles
Employees with the I‑style of communicating live for the relationships they cultivate. They are typically outgoing and enthusiastic. When they receive negative feedback, they may fear a loss of face and relationships. Managers can improve outcomes by encouraging them to make changes for the good of the team.
Feedback for Steady (S) Styles
Steady employees do not like big changes. They are most comfortable in environments where they feel secure. The need for feedback may happen when an S‑style employee has not been able to keep up with big changes. Managers should give limited feedback over multiple one-
Feedback for Conscientious © Styles
Few details escape the notice of C‑style employees. And these employees also tend to be quieter than others, likely because they are analyzing details. When delivering feedback to these employees, managers will have success when they list specific details about what needs to change and why.
Putting it into Practice
To deliver effective feedback for employees, keep your tone even. Don’t bring up the fact that you’ve already covered the topic at hand with them in the past. They are well aware of previous talks you’ve had with them.
Instead, calmly explain that you need for them to do a better job — whether it’s processing payroll or testing software. Give them specific examples of what they need to improve on.
After that, explain how their failure to do things properly impacts their co-
Then give them a chance to describe the situation from their perspective. Pay attention to what you hear.
Is there a process problem you can solve for them? Is there a culture problem in the office that’s hindering their
productivity? Do they need more training?
You may be able to offer some assistance, but the bottom line is that the employee must accept responsibility and accountability for their performance. Ask them for suggestions on how they will prevent the problem from happening in the future.
After you both agree on a solution, ask your team member what you can do to help. Then follow up regularly to keep them on track.
Common Feedback Mistakes to Avoid
Making mistakes when giving feedback is common. Managers may not feel comfortable when they deliver negative news to their team members. But taking steps to avoid these problems results in better outcomes for employees. And managers will grow more confident as they plan their approach with the goal of helping team members and their department. Here are the most common problems associated with giving feedback.
- Waiting too long – Managers often want to avoid uncomfortable conversations. They put off the need to let the employee know their workplace behavior has to change. If a week goes by, the employee may not remember the specific incident.
- Being too negative — Being aggressive or mean and accusing the employee of being generally incompetent leaves them feeling like it will be impossible to improve.
- Being vague — A team member must understand specifically what to do to improve their standing. Let them know they need to make five more sales calls a day. Or proofread their work at least once before sending it to you for review.
- Talking to the employee in front of colleagues — Calling out a team member in front of co-
workers and asking them to improve their output is likely to backfire. The team member will resent being treated like a child.
How TeamTraitTM Supports Feedback Based on Behavioral Styles
Managers can improve the way they deliver feedback and communicate with employees when they use TeamTrait’s behavioral assessments. The standardized assessments highlight employees’ work styles, leadership tendencies, motivations, critical thinking abilities, and behavioral traits in an easy-
The TeamTrait platform also includes a difficult conversations coach to help managers think through their approach. The recommendations are specific to the employee’s DISC profile.
And, TeamTrait contains communication tips that coach a manager through conversations with each team member. The tips review the best approaches and the approaches to avoid.
Conclusion
Delivering employee feedback may be one of a manager's least favorite tasks, especially when they're asking the team member to modify their behavior or improve their work. Understanding behavioral styles can make the job easier. When a manager's feedback style is matched to an employee's behavioral styles, the outcome is likely to be positive. Managers must be intentional and plan ahead when it's time to deliver feedback. And they should work with the employee to increase chances of buy-
How do I identify an employee's behavioral style?
The best way to identify an employee’s behavioral style is to ask them to take a behavioral assessment. Using the results, managers can better understand what drive’s an employee’s workplace behavior and how to formulate feedback that works. Managers can also observe an employee’s reactions to workplace events to further identify their behavioral style.
Should feedback be adapted to different communication and behavioral styles?
To be most effective, managers adapt to the individual employee’s communication and behavioral style. When the manager customizes and plans feedback, the team member is far more likely to understand what they need to do to improve their workplace behavior. And they will be more open to change.
How often should managers give feedback?
Managers should give feedback as soon as they notice an incident, whether it’s positive or negative. If they wait too long, the employee may decide the feedback isn’t very important. And the manager may forget important details surrounding the incident. Instant feedback shows employees that managers care.
What is DISC feedback?
DISC feedback is the practice of giving feedback to employees based on their DISC profile. The feedback varies according to different personality types. A dominant personality type appreciates direct feedback. A conscientious personality type wants to know the details. Managers usually have behavioral assessment data to use when they offer DISC feedback.
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