Learn English Professionals

Read the following checklist for giving feedback produced by the HR department of the British Council and match the action points in the box below with the related checklist points in the table.

	Check points	Action points
[1.01]	Agree the facts	Think about the evidence
[1.02]	Criticise the action	*Think about the behaviour NOT the personality*
[1.03]	Ask and listen	Use open questions to be clear
[1.04]	Explain why it matters	Give examples of actions and their consequences
[1.05]	Agree a way forward	Look at all the options, there may be more than one way to solve a problem
[1.06]	Be positive	Offer encouragement, help and support if it is needed

You need to decide what you want to reward and give recognition as a reward to consistent performers as well as for one-off events. This might be to communicate on performance or a person's effect on others. It could be to make the person more [2.01] aware of what he/she does or how she/he does it. To do this requires courage, skill, understanding, self-respect, and respect for others.

Focus on [2.02] behaviour that can be changed. Consider how much feedback to give and when to give feedback. Think about whether the feedback has been clear and whether the feedback has been accurate. Feedback must be designed to give [2.03] value to the receiver and not release for the giver.

Structure the team culture and climate to achieve this. Praise must be [2.04] specific and sincere and it is quite acceptable to praise [2.05] upwards (boss) as well as your peers or subordinates. Recognise and encourage direct reports for their level of achievement based on their standards and not on yours. Avoid rating and classifying people as below or above standard. It only creates [2.06] winners and losers when in fact it may be the individual's circumstances which make it difficult to succeed. It is better to manage for performance by setting up a personal contract for performance. This creates [2.07] winners and potential winners .

Feedback is not always praise but meaningful feedback is:

· specific; definite examples of behaviour

· describes results

· something the receiver can act upon and change

· of benefit to the receiver and not the giver

· more often positive than negative

· verifiable; something that can be checked e.g. a record has been kept

Some examples of the inappropriate feedback are shown below.

(a) Make notes as to how the feedback is inappropriate – more than one change may need to be made (the first one has been done for you)

[3.01a] You’re always coming in late – not good enough!	not specific, perhaps needs to be verifiableü
[3.02a] I hear you’ve been rude to our customers again.	not specific, perhaps needs to be verifiable
[3.03a] About time you got a stronger deodorant, isn’t it?	*Personal attack not based on work behaviour, negative*
[3.04a] Why can’t you do this the way my last PA did?	not specific, negative, not something that can necessarily be changed

(b) Now rewrite the statements in an appropriate, professional way.

3.01b	e.g. This is the third time you’ve been late this week. I think we need to discuss this, John. Can we meet tomorrow morning at 9.00 to talk about it?
3.02b	e.g. I had a call from the manager at MelAndy & Co. He says you shouted at his receptionist last Thursday. What can you tell me about the situation?
3.03b	e.g. Brian, I’m afraid several people have commented about your personal hygiene recently. It’s a difficult area, but I tend to agree with them and that you need to do something about it.
3.04b	e.g. Thanks for this, Grace. It’s very good. Just one thing, though. I’d prefer it if you could use this template for this type of document and if you could let me see it before you send it off. Thanks.

Read the comments made by clients, colleagues and managers about an employee’s performance. His line-manager will use these comments to give feedback in a job review meeting.

4.01 Presentation

4.02 Time management

4.03 Interpersonal skills

4.04 Achievement

Looks the part

Never gets reports done on time.

Turned up late for 3 meetings

disorganised

Terrible relationship with colleagues

Total lack of confidence in face to face meetings

arrogant and rude

Has given the sales office a boost

Gets results

Sales figures up again this month

What needs to done before the job review meeting when the line manager will give feedback? Add to the line manager’s notes below.

Start with the positive aspects i.e. good, strong results

Need to check specific times and dates when he was late for clients’ meetings

Examples of bad relationship with colleagues - verify comments made about this

‘Arrogant and rude’ – need specific, verifiable examples not just a subjective impression. Need ideas for way forward, something he can act upon

Check records to compare deadlines with dates when reports were submitted – specific, verifiable examples

‘Disorganised’ - again specifics required

Make sure it is not a personal attack. Need to use his positive energy to set goals for improvements in behaviour, particularly interpersonal skills and time management. Need ideas for how I can support him. Ask for his comments.

Match the first half of the statements in the table about giving feedback with the second half from the box below

5.01	Comment on the behaviour or performance;	*do not comment on the person*
5.02	Evaluate don’t judge	do not just criticise
5.03	Provide specific examples;	do not make generalisations without evidence to support your comments
5.04	Give support on how to develop;	show how poor performance relates to goals or agreed objectives and how it can be improved to meet these criteria.
5.05	Explore alternatives together for improving performance;	do not just give answers

In this lesson you have:

	looked at what to do and not to do when giving feedback
	read advice on how to structure feedback
	focused on your own situation and how to develop your skills when giving feedback

The next e-m@il lesson focuses on your ability to listen to people and really understand what they’re trying to communicate. We call this Active Listening.