Perfecting the Art of Delivering Effective Feedback as a Manager

Time and time again, managers tell me that they have had professional development on their to-do lists, only to have it go by the wayside when more pressing issues arose. Even the most seasoned managers often reflect on the wish for additional leadership training throughout their careers. In today's climate, our managerial expertise is continuously tested, from overseeing employee leaves of absence and FMLA to ensuring compliance with safety protocols. With numerous challenges at hand, it is crucial that leadership development remains a top priority amidst the shifting landscape of responsibilities.

To keep up with the ever-evolving landscape of managerial responsibilities, it is crucial for managers to not only stay informed about local laws and company policies but also to master the art of delivering effective feedback. Feedback is a powerful tool that can take on various forms, whether it be positive reinforcement or constructive criticism. The key lies in maintaining consistency in the delivery method to achieve the best results.

Effective feedback serves as a vital communication tool between managers and their employees, facilitating growth, development, and improved performance. By providing timely feedback, managers can address issues promptly and prevent them from escalating. It allows employees to understand the impact of their actions and make necessary adjustments to avoid repeating mistakes in the future.

Moreover, when delivering feedback, it is essential to keep emotions in check and focus on facts rather than personal feelings. Emotions can cloud judgment and detract from the core message, potentially leading to misunderstandings or defensive reactions from employees. By sticking to the specifics of the behavior that needs to be addressed and emphasizing its impact on the business or others, managers can ensure that their feedback is clear, objective, and constructive.

Delivering feedback is a skill that requires practice and refinement. By following these principles and honing their feedback delivery techniques, managers can create a culture of open communication, continuous improvement, and mutual respect within their teams. As leaders invest in their development and enhance their communication skills, they pave the way for a more productive and harmonious work environment.

Let’s look at an example like one Archbright uses in its popular course, Supervisory Skills, to illustrate delivering effective feedback.

Case in Point

John is a customer service representative at a busy call center. Recently, he has been arriving late to work frequently, causing disruptions to the team's schedule and affecting overall productivity. Despite being a reliable employee in the past, his tardiness has become a concern for his supervisor, Sally.

On Monday, John arrives 15 minutes late for his shift. Sally notices his late arrival but decides to wait and see if it becomes a pattern. However, on Wednesday and Friday of the same week, John is late again, each time by more than 10 minutes. Sally decides it's time to address the issue.

On Friday afternoon, Sally calls John into her office for a private discussion. She explains the impact his lateness has on the team and the importance of punctuality. Sally issues a verbal warning and reminds John of the company's attendance policy. She emphasizes the need for improvement and sets clear expectations for timely arrivals.

Despite the warning, John arrives late again the following Tuesday. Sally decides to escalate the issue. She calls John in for another meeting, this time providing a written warning. She documents the previous incidents and reiterates the importance of adhering to the schedule. Sarah outlines the consequences of continued tardiness, which could include further disciplinary action.

A week later, John arrives late once more. The supervisor is at her wit’s end.

What’s a Manager to Do?

Delivering feedback is tough enough under normal circumstances. It can be nearly impossible to know where to begin without honed communication skills. With a few developed techniques, however, delivering feedback can be far easier for managers, not to mention more effective.

Let’s start with what NOT to do:

1. Don’t beat around the bush. Approaching an employee to talk about the weather, sports, or local events and then slipping feedback into the conversation runs the risk of not having the impact that it should. Likely, the message will get lost in the small talk. A manager may believe they delivered the message, but the employee might miss it completely.
   
   
2. Never deliver change feedback in a public setting. For example, saying, “John, this is the second time I’ve talked to you about arriving late. This is your final warning!” in front of other employees could further exacerbate the situation. Employees could feel shamed, causing more harm than good. Additionally, this style of delivering feedback puts other employees in an uncomfortable position.
   
   
3. Never label employees. At times a manager may become so frustrated that their own judgments creep into the conversation. For example, saying, “John, the problem with you is that you are just a rebel” is highly ineffective and will cause the employee to become defensive. Removing labels and asking questions about the employee’s behavior is far more effective when identifying the root cause of the issue.

To deliver quality, effective feedback, there are three key components that a manager should always keep in mind:

1. Feedback must be timely. Though it might seem easier to avoid conflict in the moment and wait to deliver feedback at an employee’s performance review, the negative effects are far worse later. It can appear that the manager is stockpiling insults like a squirrel preparing for winter to some employees. The impact of this can lead to a highly emotional, defensive reaction. Providing timely feedback allows an employee to recognize the impact of their behavior and pivot promptly to avoid future mistakes. It creates better habits and far less frustration for employees and managers alike.
   
   
2. Keep emotion out of it. To be effective, feedback must state the facts, not the manager’s emotions about the facts. When a manager infuses their message with emotion, they have made the feedback more about their own feelings than the employee’s behavior. Sticking to the who, what, when, and where of the issue will ensure emotion stays out of the conversation.
   
   
3. Be specific and emphasize the impact. It is highly important to keep feedback specific. Managers need to outline the exact behavior they would like for the employee to change, and its impact on the business or others. Equally important, managers need to outline the behavior they would like to see instead and the positive impact it will have. This will leave the employee with a hopeful message that their behavior change will be valuable to the business.

Practice Makes Perfect

Delivering feedback is not a skill that comes naturally to most people, so it’s important to keep these tricks of the trade in mind in every employee interaction. The more practice a manager can get delivering feedback, the easier it gets. To start, practice delivering positive feedback. The same rules apply. Deliver it in a timely manner, keep emotions out of it, be specific, and emphasize the impact.

Archbright University’s management course offerings are a great place to start for managers who want to hone their skills even further. Leadworker Effectiveness, Supervisory Skills, and Management Fundamentals are available virtually and in-person, allowing managers to attend a class that best fits their schedule.

Leadworker Effectiveness is for new leads who are looking to learn the ropes and hit the ground running. Supervisory Skills and Management Fundamentals are both for new supervisors and managers or those who have been managing for years but are ready to upgrade their skills. Supervisory Skills is tailored for managers and supervisors across various industries such as manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and retail, catering to those with a similar workforce. On the other hand, Management Fundamentals caters to managers in professional services, technology, finance, insurance organizations, and other industries with comparable workforces.

All three classes are highly engaging, allowing leaders to collaborate with peers from varying industries. For more information and proven results, please view Archbright’s Oberto Snacks Case Study highlighting the classes.