Hey Boss: Don’t Hold Back Your Feedback

Whether it’s getting axed after a contest on reality TV, or feeling the shock from a sudden low rating on a performance review, people who work hard to perform well are assessed by bosses or experts who hold back valuable information about what they should do to improve.

It’s not fair! Why do those in position to judge do this?

On television—it’s all about creating more drama, conflict, shock, and interest in the program. Understandable, although depressing…..

On the job, managers who assess people often hold back for precisely the opposite reason—They fear drama, and therefore postpone any feedback, until upper management requires them to rank people for purposes of pay decisions, restructurings, or layoffs. Then, without warning, they rate their employees low in areas they have never shared with them. If the organization uses an annual performance review, it happens at least once a year. If the organization doesn’t use a review system, there could be an even longer period without feedback.

Why the delay?

The manager believes any corrective feedback will not be well-received, so they hold off til the last minute. So suddenly the feedback, and voila! The shock by workers who didn’t know they were failing or falling behind.

This has got to change...

This is your moment

If you are a manager, start today and give feedback to everyone. Start small and cover only the one or two areas most important for helping each person have a greater impact on the job. Don’t worry about all the past months and years you have failed to give feedback.

For each of your team members, ask what is important now to have a conversation about?

This is your moment to make a difference. This is your moment to help them be successful!