In Coaching and Developing Successful Leaders and Sales Professionals for 18+ years, I am asked often what I see as the TOP MISTAKES Leader’s make. Not providing “Feedback” to their employees is definitely one of the most common mistakes I see daily.
I often see a Leader either avoid feedback altogether or when they do provide feedback, it is often sugar coated. The results of not giving feedback or not giving the correct feedback is as followed:
* The employees don’t know what they are doing right. When they succeed it builds confidence and they are more likely to repeat it. However, when they don’t have a Leader who reinforces this positive behavior, the employees question themselves and are less likely to keep the positive momentum going.
* The employees don’t know what they are doing wrong and therefore don’t know how to fix the problem. When this happens, they repeat the wrong behaviors and not only lose confidence, but question if this is the right job for them. If you are a Leader and know your employees have potential to do the job well and you have spent the time to recruit them and train them, you are doing everyone a disservice by not giving your employees feedback. When you lose them because of lack of feedback, you now have lost time and money for you and your company. In the end taking the time to give them feedback will give you the ROI that you desire!
* By sugar coating feedback and not being direct, you are hurting your employees development. When your employees do not receive the true feedback, they will actually lose confidence in your ability to be honest with them. This also gives the impression that you do not care about them improving. You intern lose their trust. Just be direct. Even if at first, your employees do not like the feedback, as long as you provide coaching that allows them to see how to improve, they will appreciate that you have chosen to be invested in their overall development.
* Leaders often confuse “Feedback” with “Coaching”. Feedback is direct and factual. Coaching helps develop an associate from point A to point B. Feedback is the statement and Coaching is the “how” in order to improve the behavior. Provide Feedback first and then start Coaching.
Personally, my overall job satisfaction grew when I worked for Leaders who truly took the time to provide Feedback first and then Coached me through how to get the most out of my strengths. Be direct, use facts, be timely, and be consistent. Feedback truly is one of the best gifts you can give your employees.
What was the best feedback you ever received from a Leader? Comment Below!