Feedback is a way of helping another person to consider changing his/her behaviour. It is communication to a person (or a group) which gives that person information about how she/he affects others. Feedback helps the individual to keep their performance on target in order to achieve certain standards and goals. It is a developmental process for the individual who wants to learn how well his/her performance matches expectations.

As a trainer you have the responsibility of assisting your trainees in their learning and one important way of assisting them is by giving them constructive feedback. This can be on:

What you see of their performance on the training event
What you observe about their behaviour with others
What they say about themselves and their performance in the workplace

Giving positive feedback is a key skill for any trainer or manager. It is not just giving criticism but an aid to learning and self-development. Without feedback how can anyone grow and change?

Giving feedback is an area covered in depth on our Train the Trainer training course.

Some criteria for useful feedback

1. It should be descriptive rather than evaluative and so reduces the need for the individual to react defensively.

2. It should be specific rather than general. To be told that one is dominating will probably not be as useful as to be told, Just now, when we were deciding the issue, you did not listen to what others said and I felt forced to accept your arguments or face attack from you.

3. It should be directed towards behaviour, which the receiver can do something about. Frustration is only increased when a person is reminded of some shortcoming over which she/he has no control.

4. It should be well timed. In general, feedback is most useful when given at the earliest opportunity depending, of course, on the person’s readiness to hear it and the support available from others.

5. Understanding should be checked to ensure clear communication. One way of doing this is to ask the receiver to try and rephrase the feedback he/she has received to see if it corresponds to what the sender had in mind.

How to give positive feedback

Give your feedback in a straight and adult way- don’t be patronising and overly critical

Be supportive and positive

Start with something the person has done well (there will always be something!) and ask them to analyse how they achieved it -  this way learning takes place through success and not failure

Say specifically what you have observed and what they can improve for next time

Be prepared to accept they may not agree with you feedback is two-way!

REMEMBER! Feedback is vital in the learning process

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Posted by Heather Buckley in Train the Trainer Training on April 4th, 2007 | No Comments »

Feedback is often mentioned, either as part of the performance appraisal process or as a stand-alone means of assisting your staff development. But it can be an important source of information and understanding of yourself as an effective leader. It is certainly an essential tool for the effective leader. Learn just how important feedback can be on our Leadership Skills training course in Brighton, Sussex. We can also arrange Appraisals Training on a private basis, with content tailored to your organisation’s processes and policies.

What is feedback?

Feedback is a way of helping another person change their behaviour. Feedback helps the individual to keep their performance on target in order to achieve certain standards and goals. It is a developmental process for the individual who wants to learn how well their performance matches expectations.

For performance to improve, three types of information must be conveyed:

• what is considered to be the appropriate standard of performance
• how their performance measures up to this standard
• how they might improve their performance.

Clearly if you expect a member of staff to perform to a certain standard, then the standard needs to be explained first before giving the task! This is obvious, but how often does it happen?

Guidelines for giving feedback

Focus on performance, not on personality

• Telling someone that they “don’t seem to be able to relate very well to the public” could sound, to the individual in question, like a comment on their personality. Concentrate feedback on the behaviours required in order to dispel this perception (such as giving full attention to customers, making eye contact with them, using their name when possible, returning calls promptly, etc.) will be much more helpful.

Give feedback when the behaviour occurs

• Praise is most effective when it occurs close in time to the praiseworthy behaviour; so is criticism, for stored-up criticism can lead to massive defensive mechanisms being brought into play when it is tackled. Frequent informal feedback is much better than infrequent formal feedback.

Summarise and check

• Ask the individual to summarise the feedback they have just received and try to make sure that they remember both the positive and the negative. Then ask them to reiterate the action plan that you have agreed to remedy any performance deficits/develop themselves for the future.

Feedback is a two-way process!

It just as important that you as the leader receive feedback from your staff as it is that you give feedback to them. You also need to know where your behaviour could change so be prepared to ask for constructive feedback from staff and do not be defensive when you receive it. Listen attentively to what is being said and be prepared to change if necessary.

In other words, do not expect your staff to do something you are not prepared to do yourself!

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Posted by Aaron Charlie in Leadership Training on April 3rd, 2007 | No Comments »