Feedback

How to gather quality feedback (6)

• *Acknowledge the fear* - explain you need their feedback to learn • *Ask for it constantly* - on a regular basis, not just review time. • *Request examples* - this allows you to better understand the feedback and ensures that what you're hearing is true. • *Read between the lines* - figure out what problems people are trying to help you identify • *Act on it* - show everyone that you receive feedback well and can change your behaviour as a result. • *Start anonymously* - e.g. doing 360 degree review or using a coach.

Problems with 360 degree feedback? (5)

• *Anonymous? (not entirely)* = person themselves have invited them so know the people in the group. May know events they're referring to if give comments. • *Takes raters a long time (typically 45 questions)* = can take 2.5 hours per person and some people could get 3 requests a month. • *The same people keep being asked to provide feedback* • *Recipients forget that the 360 report represents a snapshot in time* • *Doesn't necessarily lead to better use of feedback* = could just go ask for feedback, don't need to formalise it

Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) (2)

• *Lag indicators* = typically output oriented, easy to measure but her to improve or influence; usually after the event; e.g. may want to reduce number of accidents during the year so lag indicator is the number of accidents • *Lead indicators* = predictive, typically input oriented, hard to measure and easy to influence. e.g. to reduce number of accidents a year, lead indicator would be number of safety courses; checks on safety equipment.

Informal feedback formats (5)

• Conversation in the corridor / casual • 1-2-1 meetings manager/team member • Discussion as you are working • Chat after a job/presentation is complete •Talk face-to-face, in person, on the phone, by email

Problems with "feedback sandwich" (3)

• Employee is likely to forget what you said about his/her positive performance, so you lose the supposed advantage of offering positive feedback. (i.e. don't care about the bread, care more about the middle of the sandwich) • feedback sandwich diminishes the value and the power of the positive, reinforcing feedback. • The employee will anticipate that some feedback will be constructive.

360 Degree Feedback(2)

• Feedback collected from: Self, team members, external customers, peers, internal customers. • Provides performance data from multiple points of reference

Different structures of feedback?

• Formative - development • Summative - assessment

Formative feedback (5)

• Given DURING the project • Allows time for improvements to be made • Focus is on: individual development by identifying strengths, weaknesses and target areas that need work; improvement of the project. • Formative assessments are generally low stakes, which means they have low or not point value. • In a university format, this may be a class test, opportunity to have a group discussion.

Summative Feedback

• Given at the end of the project • No time for changes • Focus is on: assessment of the individual; review of the project (may hope to learn for future projects, too late for the one just completed). • Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means they have a high point value. • In a university format, this would be an exam.

Benefits of a feedback culture? (4)

• More likely to take action on feedback given as part of regular life • Allows more perspective (different opinions matter) - good for diversity • Not worried about getting or giving feedback as part of common practise • Focus on performance not personality.

Formal feedback formats (6)

• Performance ratings (e.g. in performance appraisal) • Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) • Evaluation reports • 360-degree feedback • Surveys on team / organisational performance, e.g. customer surveys, employee attitude surveys • Audits, e.g. Investors in People, HSE (Health and Safety)

Feedback Culture

"Feedback culture refers to the organisation's support for feedback, including non-threatening, behaviourally focused feedback; coaching to help interpret and use feedback; and a strong link between performance improvement and valued outcomes." (London and Smither, 2002)

Steps in 360 degree feedback? (7)

*1. Communication of process* = why doing 360, usually to emphasise the importance of our comptencies and values, how we want people to work. Put together a competency framework and ask people to give feedback based on framework. Online process. *2. Distribution of participant 360 invitations* = who wants to do 360, usually at management level. *3. Nomination of respondents (1 week)* = individual managers nominate respondents/who they want feedback from - may decide only to nominate people who feel positive about their work but others may ask feedback from people who they know they will get negative feedback from as they want to improve the relationship and understand what is going wrong. *4. Completion of online questionnaires (2-3 weeks)* = typically 12 respondents, and 45-50 questions and opportunity to write comments too *5. Processing of 360 degree feedback report* = data cometerm-12s in automatically then get feedback report. *6. Feedback coaching sessions and development planning* = can be 2.5 hours so they can understand what the feedback means and what to do with it. Making sense of reports. *7. Re-assessment (6-18 months)* = should stick with the same people so can compare the results as if different people selected, then can't really compare as different views.

Benefits of 360 Degree Feedback for individual (4) and organisation (2)?

*Individual* • Increased self-awareness • Reduces opportunity for halo or horns affect • Helps team members to work more effectively together • Highlights different perceptions from different stakeholders - groups people together, averages to see differences between each group. *Organisation* • Develops a vulture of continuous performance improvement • Promotes constructive feedback and open communication

Feedback Sandwich

Where you make positive statements, discuss areas for improvement (constructive feedback), and then finish with more positive statements - a mixture of commend and recommend